More information : NZ 2520 6441: Plummer Tower (museum) (NR) (1)
Plummer Tower (remains of), ornate facade added circa 1750. (2)
Of original plan on the outer face with an ornate facade on the
inner. In good condition and in use as a museum. (3)
Newcastle upon Tyne, scheduled. (4)
Plummer Tower A town wall tower, later a Company Meeting Hall, now offices. Late 13th to early 14th century, refronted circa 1740 and a house added in the late 18th century. Grade 1. (5)
NZ 2520 6441: A medieval section of Newcastle upon Tyne's town defences representing the eastern part of the circuit and 2 sections of curtain wall, incorporating Plummer tower and a 17th century Bastion. Situated at the south end of Croft Street opposite Plummer House. The first length of wall is 7.6 metres long and attached to the south of the tower standing 4.25 metres high to the parapet walkway. Rising above the walkway the parapet is 1.15 metres high and is complete with ridged coping stones. 2 building phases are visible in this short stretch of curtain wall indicating that the wall and attached tower were built separately. Within the curtain wall near its junction with the tower there is a small chamber. The second length of curtain wall attached to the north side of the tower is about 6 metres long. Plummer Tower projects 4 metres from the outer face of the curtain wall and is a semicircular shaped structure 4.5 metres high. Although the interior of the tower has been altered it is thought to have contained a single chamber covered by a vaulted roof.
During the Civil War Plummer Tower was converted into an artillary bastion by the addition of an outwork surrounding the tower on 3 sides. During an excavation in 1989 part of this structure was uncovered and it was revealed to consist of an arrow-shaped stone-built structure with an ashlar sandstone outer face. Outside the bastion was a berm 1 metres wide flanked by a flat bottomed ditch in which were found pieces of pottery dating from the mid to late 17th century. 3 musket balls were recovered from other excvation trenches.
The tower was modified further during the 17th century when it housed the Company of Culters and during the 18th century when it was obtained by the Company of Masons. During the 8th century an upper storey and a new western facade were added and subsequently a new external stair was built to the south of the tower. In the 19th century, when the upper levels of the curtain wall were levelled to provide building stone, an extension to the north of the north of the tower was added. Scheduled.(6) |