Alnham Castle: a medieval tower house

Reasons for Designation

Tower houses are a type of defensible house particularly characteristic of the borderlands of England and Scotland. Virtually every parish had at least one of these buildings. Solitary tower houses comprise a single square or rectangular `keep' several storeys high, with strong barrel-vaults tying together massive outer walls. Many towers had stone slab roofs, often with a parapet walk. Access could be gained through a ground floor entrance or at first floor level where a doorway would lead directly to a first floor hall. Solitary towers were normally accompanied by a small outer enclosure defined by a timber or stone wall and called a barmkin. Tower houses were being constructed and used from at least the 13th century to the end of the 16th century. They provided prestigious defended houses permanently occupied by the wealthier and aristocratic members of society. As such, they were important centres of medieval life. The need for such secure buildings relates to the unsettled and frequently war-like conditions which prevailed in the Borders throughout much of the medieval period. Around 200 examples of tower houses have been identified of which less than half are of the free- standing or solitary tower type. All surviving solitary towers retaining significant medieval remains will normally be identified as nationally important.

The tower house at Alnham is reasonably well preserved and retains significant archaeological deposits. Substantial masonry remains of the basement remain intact and will add to our understanding of medieval and post-medieval settlement in the region.

Details

The monument includes the remains of a medieval tower house at Alnham, often referred to as Alnham Castle. It lies on high ground to the south of the medieval village remains which are the subject of a separate scheduling. The tower is rectangular in plan and survives as a prominent sub-rectangular mound which measures 22m east-west by 18m north-south and stands up to 2m high. Part of the inner face of the north wall and its junction with a cross wall are visible as exposed masonry and there is a possible doorway at the north east corner. Some 15m east of the tower is a slightly curving earthwork, orientated north-south, which may indicate the site of an attached hall or house. The tower is one of two in Alnham and is first mentioned in 1405 when it was surrendered to royal troops. It belonged to the Earl of Northumberland and is recorded in documents in 1415, 1514 and 1541, by which time both towers were in a state of poor repair due to Scottish raids.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

31727

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
NT 91 SE 7,

End of official list entry

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