Ye Bailie (The Gatehouse Record of the Aglionby Platt)

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Ye Baile; Bailey; balyhead

In the civil parish of Bewcastle.
In the historic county of Cumberland, England.
Modern Authority of Cumbria, England.
1974 county of Cumbria, England.
Medieval County of Cumberland.

OS Map Grid Reference: NY520777
Latitude 55.09140° Longitude -2.75356°

The given map reference is suggested as the probable location of Ye Bailie shown on the Aglionby Platt.

There are no visible remains.

The likely form(s) of this building in 1590 are;

Pele House ('bastle').

Reproduced by permission of the National Library of Scotland

Description

A map in the British Museum, dated December 1590, has marked 'Ye Bailie' with a tower symbol. It is marked on the map immediately south of the confluence of Black Leuen and White Leuen (the Black and White Lyne) but the related positions of other towers, particularly Troughead (NY47NE6) and Comcrook (NY57SW2) suggest that the name White Leuen has been applied to that part of the Black Lyne eastwards of its confluence with Bailey Water. If this was so the map would indicate a position for this tower in the vicinity of Low Todholes (NY 519777)
There are no remains or any local knowledge of a tower in the area of Low Todholes (Field Investigators Comments–F1 BHP 02-APR-7).
A divination survey was undertaken in 1982 to the rear of Snouts Farm at NY518768. Further site identification required (Perriam and Robinson). (PastScape 12953)

Site of bastle at Nook. Maughan, writing in 1862, states that 'at a place called the Nook, near Roantrees is a field which is generally known by the name of Cairns... at this place there was formerly an old building with very thick walls and portholes like those in the tower at Crews.' This suggests this was a bastle site. Cairns was called Charters in C18. There are possible traces at Charter Trees. (PastScape 1389217 – ref. Perriam and Robinson)

Comments

Several site proposed, Rear of Snouts Farm at NY518768. Peelsteads field or the Nook at NY520777. A reading of the crude map and consideration of stopping raiders returning with stolen cattle suggests the location should be around NY516777 where two fords (The Breakings) would be controlled. However, such house were mainly sited for other reasons (agricultural and tenurial) so further investigation certainly required. On the bases of there being some evidence of a strong house at The Nook I've placed Ye Bailie at that location.
Perriam and Robinson do not do themselves any credit by including a 'plan' based on the hokum of a divining survey.
Quite what is meant by the symbols on the Aglionby Platt is uncertain but a defensive building of some sort is probable. This could include three storey chamber blocks attached to halls (pele towers) or solidly built farmhouses of two storeys (bastles).

The resident householder c. 1590.

1561 - Willie Greymes ("The names of the Greymes of Eske and Leven within the Countie of Cumberland gyven in by Richard Greyme of Netherbye to the Lorde Dacre, Warden of the West Marche of England" P.R.O. SP 59/9 ff. 197-203 (CSP For, 1561-62, no. 442), dated 23 August i 56 r)
1602 - Leonard Grame (Scrope List 1602 - Richard Bell's manuscript History of the Borders, ff. 211-215)
- see Spence, R.T., 1980, 'The Graham Clans and Lands on the eve of the Jacobean Pacification' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 80 p. 92 online copy
James Rutledge (see Harrison, J.V., 1967, 'Five Bewcastle wills' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 67 p. 108-9 online copy)

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape (The online National Monument Record for England) Number 12953.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) 4576, 81.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- Old Cumbria Gazetteer and Old Cumbria Gazetteer
Books
- Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 45, 55
  Salter, Mike, 1998, The Castles and Tower Houses of Cumbria (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 99 (slight)
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 92
  Armstrong, A.M., 1950, The Place-Names of Cumberland, part 1 The City of Carlisle, and Eskdale, Cumberland, and Leath Wards (English Place-Name Society 20) p. 61
  Jeffrey, A., 1864, History and Antiquities of Roxburghshire Vol. 4 p. 232 (facsimile of map) online copy
Periodical Articles
- Maughan, J., 1854, 'Survey of the Maiden Way, from the Roman Wall into Scotland' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 11 p. 231-2 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
Maps (Early maps)
- 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
  1607, Platt of the Forrest of Nicholl and the Mannor of Liddale, Arthurett and Randelinton with the Debatable groundes online copy (Netherbalie

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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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The Gatehouse website record of

Ye Bailie (The Bailie)

a location shown on a 1590 map of the West Marches of Scotland (The Aglionby Platt)