Boweshill Bastle, Bellingham

Description

Ruined bastle incorporated in field walls 20m north west of 19th century cottage. Remains comprise lower part of east wall, 6.8m long, and lower part (partly rebuilt) of N wall, 7.7m (?) long, of large blocks, some roughly squared. Original wall thickness c1.1m. Blocked slit vent in centre east wall. South and west walls apparently completely removed. Traces of foundations of adjacent building on east. 30m to north footings of an east-west range of ?farm buildings of uncertain date (Ryder, P F 21-JUN-90 Field investigation).
Only a fragment, but the massive and irregular fabric is still quite dramatic (Ryder 1990).
Parts of two walls of a bastle house, incorporated into a later field wall. Parts of the gable end stand to about 7 feet and have a slit window. Parts of the side wall stand to about 5 feet. Remains of further buildings with smaller masonry are incorporated into the wall to the west. North-east of these remains are the footings of an extensive group of buildings. Again several seem of most substantial build (Grundy 1987). (Northumberland HER)

Comments

Not shown, other than as field walls, on the 1862 OS six-inch map, but a lost building directly north of the cottage is shown. The building group somewhat further north, of which the footing clearly show on the modern air photo, is shown as roofed buildings but is not suggestive of a bastle.