Hunstanworth Tower

Gatehouse Classification - Pele Tower

Has been described as a Certain Solar tower (peel-tower)

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains

NameHunstanworth Tower
Alternative Names
Medieval CountyCounty Palatinate of Durham
Historic CountryDurham
Modern AuthorityDurham
1974 AuthorityCounty Durham
Civil ParishHunstanworth

Although the upper storeys have fallen, the tower house in the churchyard of St James's Church retains significant archaeological deposits. Tower houses are an uncommon monument type in County Durham and this one will contribute to the knowledge and understanding of higher status medieval settlement. The monument includes the remains of a tower house of medieval date situated in the churchyard of St James's Church, on the south side of the valley of the River Derwent. The tower house, which is Listed Grade II, is visible as the lower courses of a rectangular building with maximum measurements of 15m east to west by 12m north to south. The remains of the collapsed upper storeys are visible as a spread of material 1m to 3m wide on all sides. The walls, bonded with clay, stand to a maximum height of 1.5m and are at least 1m thick. The vaulted basement of the tower house fell in 1883, but some of the springing on the south side at the western end remains in situ. (Scheduling Report)

Tower. Probably C16. Several courses of sandstone rubble up to 2 metres high; rectangular plan with open east end and blocked door in west end. Interior has wall along south side 1½ metres from external wall; part of barrel vault visible. (Listed Building Report)

The remains of a pele tower, situated in the churchyard of St James's Church. The tower, which is probably 16th century in date, is visible as the lower courses of a rectangular building with maximum measurements of 15 metres east to west by 12 metres north to south. The remains of the collapsed upper storeys are visible as spread material 1-3 metres wide on all sides. The walls, bonded with clay, stand to a maximum height of 1.5 metres and are at least 1 metre thick. The vaulted basement of the tower house fell in 1883, but some of the springing on the south side at the western end remains in situ. (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

Was this relatively small and poor quality building (bonded with clay) a small manor house or, as seems more likely, a vicars tower?

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

This is a Grade 2 listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceNY94874900
Latitude54.83587
Longitude-2.08132
Eastings394870
Northings549000
Length
Width
Dimensions Comment
Vault
Vault Comment
Orientation
Orientation Comment
Wall Thickness 1
Wall Thickness 2
Map
Holder
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Copyright Mike Quinn and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons license.View full Sized Image

Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles and Tower Houses of County Durham(Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 35
  • Corfe, Tom (ed), 1992, 'The Visible Middle Ages' in An Historical Atlas of County Durhamp. 28-9
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum(London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 136
  • Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England(London: Methuen and Co)
  • Surtees, R., 1820, The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of DurhamVol. 2 p. 365-7 (tenurial history) online transcription

Journals

  • Fawcett, J.W. 1922, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-upon-Tyne(ser3) Vol. 10 p. 203 online copy
  • 1889-90, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-upon-Tyne(ser2) Vol. 4 p. 258