Hall Barns Bastle, Simonburn (The Gatehouse Record)

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
hall barnes, Symonburne

In the civil parish of Simonburn.
In the historic county of Northumberland.
Modern Authority of Northumberland.
1974 county of Northumberland.
Medieval County of Northumberland.

OS Map Grid Reference: NY87377337
Latitude 55.05466° Longitude -2.19945°

Hall Barns Bastle, Simonburn has been described as a certain Bastle.

There are no visible remains.

Description

A survey of 1541 mentions a Bastle at Hall Barns, Simonburn, the property of Sir William Heron, as being in good repair (Bates 1891; Hodgson 1828; Hadcock 1939).
NY 87377337 Hall Barns is a mid 18th century farmhouse. It is sited on a north slope, above the ravine of the Simon Burn and with a good command to north and east (F1 ASP 10-FEB-1956).
I have no knowledge of any ancient building upon my property, or of any field name which may assist you. (F2 FDC 17-FEB-1956 quoting Mr J W Dixon 17.2.56 Owner Farmer Hall Barns Simonburn Wark). (Northumberland HER)

A survey of 1541 mentions a bastle at Hall Burns, an 18th century farmhouse. It is possible that this building contains the remains of the earlier bastle. (Keys to the Past)

At the hall barnes in the same towne {Symonburne} ys a bastell house of the late Inheritance of Sr Will'm Heron in good repac'cons (1541 Survey)

Comments

Within this survey the term 'bastell' appears to be mainly used for the larger type bastle (c.f. Doddington Bastle) and the status, as a gentry house, would also suggest a building of some size and quality. The report of it being in good repair might suggest a fairly new building in 1541. The likely location is that occupied by the C18 farmhouse which may well contain some remnants although there is no obvious evidence of old or thick walling.

Sources of information, references and further reading

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 16789.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) N7900.

Books
- Dodds, John F., 1999, Bastions and Belligerents (Newcastle upon Tyne: Keepdate Publishing) p. 360
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 353
  Graham, Frank, 1976, The Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Frank Graham) p. 318
  Long, B., 1967, Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) p. 158
  Dodds, Madeleine Hope (ed), 1940, Northumberland County History (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) Vol. 15 p. 192
  Bates, C.J., 1891, Border Holds of Northumberland (London and Newcastle: Andrew Reid) p. 47 (Also published as the whole of volume 14 (series 2) of Archaeologia Aeliana view online)
  Hodgson, J., 1828, History of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) Part 3 Vol. 2 p. 216 online copy
Periodical Articles
- Hadcock, R.N., 1939, 'A map of mediaeval Northumberland and Durham' Archaeologia Aeliana (ser4) Vol. 16 p. 148-218 esp 182
  Bates, C.J., 1891, 'Border Holds of Northumberland' Archaeologia Aeliana (ser2) Vol. 14 p. 47 online copy
Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
- 1541, View of the Castles, Towers, Barmekyns and Fortresses of the Frontier of the East and Middle Marches Survey of the East and Middle Marches

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Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
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