Shoreswood Tower (The Gatehouse Record)

In the civil parish of Shoreswood.
In the historic county of Northumberland.
Modern Authority of Northumberland.
1974 county of Northumberland.
Medieval County of County Palatinate of Durham.

OS Map Grid Reference: NT958465
Latitude 55.71239° Longitude -2.06763°

Shoreswood Tower has been described as a certain Pele Tower.

There are no visible remains.

Description

Shoreswood Tower, destroyed in 1496, was about 2 miles west and by south from Berwick within a mile and a half of the border of Scotland (John Lelands Survey c.1538). In Sept. 1584 the decayed remains were in the occupation of a Mr. Selbye (Bates, 1891). One of the towers cast down by James IV of Scotland in the raid of 1496. Although considerably damaged, the survey of 1584 reported it as being 'very fit and convenient to defend the country and annoy yhte enemy', although the cost of bringing it into operation was estimated to be £240. It was never repaired (Dodds, 1999). (PastScape)

Shorsewoode Towre belonginge to the decane and chapter of Duresme standinge neere Tweede about two myles west and by south from Berwick within a myle and a half of the border of Scotland decaied by warres and partlye by meanes as aforesayd but by whome to be repaired we cannot learne otherwise then either by her majestye in respect to have the use of the same in tymes of service, or by the Lords and owners. This towne or fortresse we doe thincke a verye fitte and convenient place as well to defend the countrye as annoye the enemye upon the opposite border if it were repared the charges of which reparacions we esteem to two hundreth and fortye pounds. (Christopher Dacre, 1584)

Sources of information, references and further reading

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 3986.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) N2291.

Books
- Dodds, John F., 1999, Bastions and Belligerents (Newcastle upon Tyne: Keepdate Publishing) p. 44
  Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles and Tower Houses of Northumberland (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 95
  Graham, Frank, 1993, Northumberian Castles Aln, Tweed and Till (Butler Publishing) p. 41
  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. 317
  Long, B., 1967, Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) p. 157
  Bates, C.J., 1891, Border Holds of Northumberland (London and Newcastle: Andrew Reid) p. 22, 70, 80 (Also published as the whole of volume 14 (series 2) of Archaeologia Aeliana view online)
Periodical Articles
- Bates, C.J., 1891, 'Border Holds of Northumberland' Archaeologia Aeliana (ser2) Vol. 14 p. 22, 70, 80 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.)
- 1584, Report of the Commissioners on the Borders (1584) under Lord Hunsdon; largely the work of Christopher Dacre. Online transcription
  Sir Robert Bowes, 1550, A Book of the State of the Frontiers and Marches betwixt England and Scotland taken from Brit. Mus. Cotton. MS. Titus, F.13, a copy of the original (see Bates, 51, n185). Printed in Hodgson, pt.3, ii, 187, 204
  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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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.

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Further information on mapping and location can be seen at this link.

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