Arthuret Knowles (The Gatehouse Record)

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Arthureth tower; Artruthe; Artruth; Arthrat; Knowes of Arthuret

In the civil parish of Arthuret.
In the historic county of Cumberland.
Modern Authority of Cumbria.
1974 county of Cumbria.
Medieval County of Cumberland.

OS Map Grid Reference: NY381674
Latitude 54.99794° Longitude -2.96968°

Arthuret Knowles has been described as a probable Pele Tower.

There are no visible remains.

Description

During the Battle of Solway Moss in 1542, the Scottish troops retired to the tower at Arthuret but were quickly dislodged. A tower is shown on the 1552 map beside Arthuret. There is no reference to a fortified tower at the Mediaeval church. It is thought that it dated to C12 or C13. Moated earthworks which were probably associated with the tower have been destroyed by quarrying. (PastScape 1389979)

(NY 3788 6755 & 3830 6740) South of Longtown Church are two small hills covered with wood, called Arthuret Knowes. The top of the highest, which overhangs the river, is fortified by a small earthen rampart enclosing a space about 16 yards square (Skene).
There are earthworks here, but merely a natural glacial morraine. There is a good section visible in sandpits (Annotated Record Map Corr 6" (Miss K S Hodgson)).
A small square earthwork on summit, marked by shallow ditch, about 40ft each way. Western half has been destroyed by sand pits. This glacial mound (evidently the western mound, at the west end of which Sand Pit is shown on OS 6" 1957) is a remarkable view point and commands the river herabouts. Visited 18/6/39 (Rec 6" (O G S Crawford 25 5 34)). (PastScape)

Moated earthworks destroyed by quarrying. Possible tower site. TCWAAS (2), viii, 234-46 describes and illustrates with a plan; site then considered pre-Conquest. TCWAAS (2), lii, 198 summarises and compares with Bromfield, Whitehall and Embleton. Dates it to the 12th and 13th century. TWCAAS (2), xxvi, 381-9 also deals with the site. VCH, ii, 274 states that during the battle of Solway Moss in 1542 'the Scottish troops, retiring upon Arthuret tower were quickly dislodged and forced across the Esk...' A tower (?) is shown on the 1552 map beside Arthuret Knowe. There is no reference to a tower on the medieval church. (Perriam and Robinson 1998)

Sources of information, references and further reading

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 1389979; 10819.
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- Wikipedia entry for Battle of Solway Moss
  Old Cumbria Gazetteer
Books
- Salter, Mike, 1998, The Castles and Tower Houses of Cumbria (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 96 (slight)
  Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 226
  Wilson, J. (ed), 1905, VCH Cumberland Vol. 2 p. 274 online copy
  Jeffrey, A., 1864, History and Antiquities of Roxburghshire Vol. 4 p. 232 (facsimile of 1590 map) online copy
Periodical Articles
- 1952, 'Proceedings' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 52 p. 198 online copy
  Collingwood, W.G., 1926, 'Rockcliff Cross and the Knowes of Arthuret' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 26 p. 381-9 online copy
  Barnes, H. and Hodgson, T.H., 1908, 'On the Battle of Ardderyd. With Plan and description of the earthworks at Arthuret' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 8 p. 236-46 online copy
  Skene, W.F., 1864-6, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Vol. 6 p. 97 online copy
  Ellis, H., 1829, 'Copy of a manuscript tract addressed to Lord Burghley, illustrative of the Border topography of Scotland, AD 1590, with a platt or map of the Borders taken in the same year' Archaeologia Vol. 22 p. 161-71 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.)
- 1590, A Platt of the opposete Borders of Scotland to ye west marches of England (The Aglionby Platt) British Library online Gallery and Old Cumbria Gazetteer (see also Gatehouse Essay 'The Aglionby Platt')

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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.

The possible site or monument is represented on maps as a point location. This is a guide only. It should be noted that OS grid references defines an area, not a point location. In practice this means the actual center of the site or monument may often, but not always, be to the North East of the point shown. Locations derived from OS grid references and from latitude longitiude may differ by a small distance.
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