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Woodhouses Bastle |
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Not
too far to the west of Rothbury and a little past Hepple lies Harehaugh
Hill,, a great
On the north side, just off the Grasslees to Holystone Road, lies the remains of Woodhouses Bastle. (Bastle comes from the French, "bastille" meaning "stronghold" and it is estimated that over 1,000 bastles were built in the borders during the 200 year period starting in 1500. The building has been leased from the owners and restored from its roofless condition under the guidance of English Heritage. It is now in an excellent state of preservation with a winding staircase to the upper apartment , an arched vault in the basement and a stone spout above the doorway, possibly used for pouring molten lead on enemies. Woodhouse
Bastle is built of coarse stone and displays many
features characteristic of the fortified houses or bastles that were
once necessary to ensure the safety of
th occupants. The walls at the
basement are 5 feet thick and the height of the building is some 22 feet to the
eaves, above The original entrance high up on the wall and now blocked up, can be seen in the accompanying sketch by JT Dixon, at the left of the sketch. The original barred window and slop-stone are clearly visible today, whilst a former slit window has also been blocked up. To the rear of the bastle are 19th century mullioned windows and the remains of another blocked up doorway. Situated in the east gable and closed with an iron barred gate the original entrance to the basement is still in existence complete with drawbar slots whilst above it is an inscription: W.P.-B.P.-1602 The bastle was in existence long before this date. Erected by Roger Hanginshaws sometime before 1541 it was finally completed in 1602 by a family called Potte whose initials are shown; William and Bartholomew Potte. The famous Northumbrian Piper, James Allan, was born here in 1734. Of gipsy descent he lead a life of complete dishonesty and roguery, ending his days in jail in 1810. As an indication of the savagery of the times, it should be noted that he was condemned to death for horse stealing, although his sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. Close by, at the foot of Beacon Hill lie the "Five Kings", traditionally thought to be five brothers who owned adjacent tracts of the country, and possibly connected in some way to the five grave mounds on nearby Holystone Common. The largest stone is about 6 feet high but there are in fact only four stones remaining. All very well worth while visiting on a fine sunny afternoon, although if you wish to view the interior it is necessary to contact the National Parks Office for a guided tour. |
triangular mass, formerly a large entrenched stronghold of the
ancient Britons. The camp is defended by three ramparts separated by a deep
ditch (or fosse). 
which tower the
steeply pitched roof, originally thatched with heather, replaced with grey stone
slates in 1904 and re-roofed again in 1993.