Lynestead

Description

Lynestead medieval pele tower, early post-medieval farmstead and associated corn drying kiln survives in fair condition. The monument is a rare example of the juxtaposition of a pele tower and early post-medieval farmstead, and it will add greatly to our knowledge and understanding of the wider border settlement and economy during the medieval and early post-medieval periods.
The monument includes the earthworks and buried remains of Lynestead medieval pele tower, an early post-medieval farmstead and an associated corn drying kiln. 'Pele' is an alternative term to 'tower' and 'pele towers' are members of the wider family of defensive buildings in the northern borderlands which also include tower houses and bastles. It is located on relatively flat ground immediately to the north west of the 19th-century house known as Lynestead. The remains of the pele tower include turf-covered foundations measuring approximately 11.5m by 11m and up to 0.5m high with walls up to 2m thick. A short distance to the north east of the pele are the turf-covered foundations of an early post-medieval farmstead measuring c.14m by 6m and up to 0.3m high with its long axis aligned north east-south west. Associated with the farmstead, and lying a short distance to the south east, is a corn drying kiln which now survives as an irregularly shaped turf-covered mound up to 0.8m high with maximum dimensions of 7m by 6m. The presence of the kiln indicates the existence of small scale arable farming in the area during the early post- medieval period. Here then is a medieval pele tower which was superseded by a small hill farm which, in turn, was abandoned before 1854 when the present Lynestead cottage was built. (Scheduling Report)

At Lynesteads are the foundations of a small tower, apparently Roman, which has been 9 yds square. Excavated by Maughan in the NE corner, and a wall was found in situ about 3' high and 4 1/2' thick. On the east side of this turret has been a building about 9 yds long and 4 yds broad; and on the south side has been a corn drying kiln (Maughan 1854).
The sites of all three items noted by Maughan are still discernible on the ground, his 'tower' as a partial platform with no visible masonry; the building to the east by turf-covered wall footings; and the kiln as an elongated mound.
The remains are not Roman, nor do they seem very ancient as the foundations of the adjacent building which he implies is contemporary are well-defined and apparently recent. It seems more likely that the present derelict cottage at Lynestead was preceded by a more substantial farmstead probably based on a small pele tower if Maughans measurements are correct (Field Investigators Comments 30/06/1972)
NY 54707846. A small 19th century cottage survives on the site. "...a medieval tower was superseded by a small hill farm which,.... gave place before 1854 to the present cottage" (Ramm et al 1970). (PastScape)

Comments

Despite the apparently detailed scheduling report this was almost certainly a pelehouse bastle (a yeoman status farmhouse consisting of a chamber over a byre) rather than a gentry status pele-tower (usually a three storey chamber block attached to a hall)