Newtown Tower, Edlingham

Description

A tower is recorded at Newtown in the 14th century and again in the 15th century. It stood on a hill and was on the site of an ancient village. (Keys to the Past)

The Newtown of Edlingham, now represented by a homestead with a single inhabited house, is situated within the 700 feet contour line, at the higher part of the ridge on which the ancient village was built. It possesses an extensive prospect to the north and east over pasture and woodland, and to the south over moorlands; it is protected on the north by a small plantation or group of old ash and other forest trees. The rock which crops out at the homestead provides an ideal site for the tower of 'Newton juxta Edlingham,' which once stood here.
The earliest mention of the Newtown in Edlingham is in March, 1334/5, when Matilda, wife of Richard de Acton and daughter and co-heir of Richard de Emeldon, for her purparty ot her father's lands, had assignment of lands here. In the same year Newtown occurs in the enumeration of the knights' fees, forfeited by Earl Patric, granted to Sir Henry Percy; it was at that time held of the Beanley lordship by Sir William de Felton of Edlingham, knight. It is mentioned in inquisitions taken in 1368, 1396, and 1403, after the death of various members of the family of Felton, but in the list of fortalices in 1415 it is stated that the tower was at that time held by a certain John Barker, of whom nothing else is known, and it is probable that he was only an officer of Sir Edmund Hastings, knight, proprietor, in right of his wife, of Edlingham. From 1396 to 1420 Newton formed part of the jointure of Elizabeth, wife of Henry Boynton, widow of Sir John de Felton, knight.
The tower of Edlingham Newtown and certain lands there subsequently came into the hands of the family of Manners. (Hodgson 1904)

A tower was built at Newton juxta Edlingham sometime before 1335. The tower survived until 1660 when it was replaced by a farmhouse. There is no trace of the tower now. (PastScape ref. Dodds 1999)

Comments

The manor existed before 1335 but the evidence that a tower existed at that time does not exist although it is possible; it certainly existed by 1415. The 1715 survey records as "an old pile possest by Madam Howard". Called a turris in 1415. The form of the tower not known but likely to be a solar tower attached to an unfortified hall rather than integral tower house.