Corbridge Low Hall

Has been described as a Certain Pele Tower

There are major building remains

NameCorbridge Low Hall
Alternative NamesBaxters Tower
Historic CountryNorthumberland
Modern AuthorityNorthumberland
1974 AuthorityNorthumberland
Civil ParishCorbridge

House with tower. Original house C13 or early C14, service end heightened as tower in mid to late C15, main block remodelled in later C16 and again c.1675. Restoration and major extensions to rear c.1890. Roughly-squared stone and rubble with cut dressings; stone slate roofs.

South elevation in 2 parts: left part 2 storeys, 3 bays, irregular; tower on right 3 storeys. Main part has 3-light windows except for 2-light between bays to right (replacing pre-1890 door), with 1700 sundial above; to far right remains of chamfered shoulder-arched or pointed doorway to screens passage of original house. C19 moulded corbels to eaves; coped left end gable with finials; stepped-and-corniced left end and ridge stacks. Tower to right has 2-light window, 3-light windows to upper floors and hollow-chamfered cornice below flat-coped parapet; hipped roof. All windows leaded casements, in recessed and chamfered surrounds.

Right return shows late C19 door with elaborate studding and ironwork in renewed shouldered arch, chamfered 1st floor loop and 2 stone spouts below parapet. Left return shows small C13 or C14 window with pointed arch, to right of C19 porch.

Interior: Drawing room (original hall) has old chamfered beams on C19 moulded corbels and 2 service doorways in broad chamfered surrounds. Tower has east-west barrel vault and mural stair to 1st floor; newel stair to higher levels, lit by original loops (now internal). One jamb of original rear through-passage door remains; and the third service door appears to have been re-set in a rebuilt rear wall, possibly in the C16. Rich late C19 fittings include several fireplaces with fine carved hoods. (Listed Building Report)

House, built in C13/early C14 and converted to a tower house by the heightening of the service end in the mid/late C15. The main block was remodelled in the later C16 and again circa 1675. The house was restored and extended circa 1890

(PastScape)

The nucleus of the building known as Low Hall is a mediaeval peel. It was probably built by the Baxters in the late 15th cent. A Thomas Baxter is mentioned in 1381 and a John Baxter in 1431.

The tower which is three stories high, retains many of its original features including a vaulted ground floor and part of the stone newel staircase. The entrance was on the west side. On the left of the entrance is the stairway in the thickness of the north wall.

Externally the tower measures 24' 4" x 17' 8".

Richard Gobson (died 1678/9) was probably the builder of the Low Hall attached to the west side of Baxter's Tower. It has a south frontage to the street and a gabled projection at the N.W. angle. The gable on the north side of the tower is of later date. A sun-dial on the south front bears the date 1700 (Craster 1914; Hadcock 1939).

Building known as "Pele Tower". The name "Low Hall" is not known. The tower and 17th house now constitute one building, which is in excellent condition (F1 JLD 22.5.56). (PastScape)

Not scheduled

This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceNY991643
Latitude54.9734497070313
Longitude-2.01496005058289
Eastings399130
Northings564320
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Mike Quinn and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons license.View full Sized Image
Copyright Mike Quinn and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons license.View full Sized Image
Copyright Mike Quinn and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons license.View full Sized Image

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2002, Index and Amendments to Mike Salter's English Castles Books (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 4
  • Dodds, John F., 1999, Bastions and Belligerents (Newcastle upon Tyne: Keepdate Publishing) p. 440
  • Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles and Tower Houses of Northumberland (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 38
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 181 (mention)
  • Pevsner, N., 1992 (revised by Grundy, John et al), Buildings of England: Northumberland (London, Penguin) p. 238-9
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 331
  • Graham, Frank, 1976, The Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Frank Graham) p. 118-20
  • Long, B., 1967, Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) p. 59
  • Hugill, R.,1939, Borderland Castles and Peles (1970 Reprint by Frank Graham) p. 77-9
  • Craster, H.H.E. (ed), 1914, Northumberland County History (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) Vol. 10 p. 151-7 online copy
  • Tomlinson, W. 1888, A Comprehensive Guide to Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) p. 140

Journals

  • Hadcock, R.N., 1939, 'A map of mediaeval Northumberland and Durham' Archaeologia Aeliana (ser4) Vol. 16 p. 148-218 esp 165

Other

  • Northumberland County Council, 2008, 'Corbridge' Northumberland Extensive Urban Survey doi:10.5284/1000177 [download copy > http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/northumberland_eus_2011/downloads.cfm?REDSQUIDARCHIVES_7_799BB461-A0C4-488C-B90DF1259EFE2DA8&area=Corbridge]
  • Ryder, P.F., 1994-5, Towers and Bastles in Northumberland Part 4 Tynedale District Vol. ? p. 55-8