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LONKINS HALL

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DESCRIPTION

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The remains of an bailey enclosure and a later tower house, situated on the western edge of the steeply incised Whittle Burn. The castle is visible as a substantial rectangular enclosure, which measures a maximum of 45 metres east to west by 72 metres north to south within a rampart 6 metres wide and a ditch 10 metres wide on the northern and western sides; the eastern side of the enclosure is afforded natural defence by the steep slopes above the Whittle Burn and the south side is defended by a natural ravine. Documents record the existence of a castle at the site by 1218, when its owner was ordered to demolish a new wooden tower which was being constructed without licence. In 1221 the tower, which was still standing, was ordered by the King to be dismantled and its timbers were removed to build a new gaol at Newcastle upon Tyne. The defensive earthwork enclosure remained. Within the south western corner of the enclosure there are the remains of a stone built tower house thought to be of 15th or 16th century date.

DETAIL

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MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

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(NZ 0727 6572) Lonkin's Hall (LB) (remains of) (TI). (1)

Nafferton Castle lies on the western rim of Whittle Dene protected by a steep cliff to the east and a ravine on the south. Its site extends over an area of approximately one acre and is rectangular in shape with a substantial earthen bank on the three sides away from the burn. Within the rampart are the fragments of a tower and surface indications of further stone structures. The first mention is in a writ of 1218 complaining that the castle was being built without licence but no further information occurs until 1221 when the building was ordered to be destroyed. It is accepted that the 13th century castle was built of wood and demolished and that the stone structures, or the greater part of them, belong to a later period. There is a tradition of occupation in the legends and ballads concerning the mysterious Lang Lonkin. Scheduled. (2-3)

Published survey (25") and description correct. See GPs F/54/38/3 for remains of tower, F/54/38/5 shows the gap in the west bank. (4)

NZ 072 657. Nafferton Tower (also known as Lonkins Tower). Scheduled No ND/313. (5)

Additional reference. (6)

Listed by Cathcart King. (7)

The bailey was seen as an earthwork and mapped from air photographs; the remains of the tower house are still visible also. (8)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 1:2500 1963

( 2) Archaeologia Aeliana : or miscellaneous tracts relating to antiquity

38 (1960) Page(s)129-144

( 3) Ministry of Public Building and Works 1965 Ancient monuments in England and Wales : a list prepared by the Ministry of Public Building and Works, corrected to 31st December 1963

Page(s)83

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 RL 09-MAR-66

(5) English Heritage 1995 County list of Scheduled Monuments : March 1994

Northumberland Page(s)39

(6) Scheduled Monument Notification

16-APR-1998

(7) David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume II : Norfolk-Yorkshire and the islands

2 Page(s)338

(8) Vertical aerial photograph reference number

NMR OS/75351 016 02-AUG-1975

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