Staward Pele

All surviving solitary towers retaining significant medieval remains will normally be identified as nationally important. Staward pele is a large example of a pele tower and is notable due to its prominent landscape position, associated defences and the unique character of its highly defensible position. The monument will contain archaeological deposits relating to its construction, use and abandonment. The monument provides insight into the character of defensive structures in the Borders during the medieval period.

This monument includes the remains of a pele, gatehouse and associated ditches of medieval date, situated on a highly defensible narrow tongue-shaped promontory immediately over looking the gorge of the River Allen. Three sides of the rectangular structure of the pele are preserved describing a rectangular structure approximately 25m by 16.5m externally.

The full length of the north west walls and parts of the north east and south west walls are upstanding. The walls are 2.3m thick and stand above a triple stepped plinth to a maximum height of roughly 3.5m. The external wall faces are constructed from close jointed squared stone of ashlar quality. The pele is situated on a promontory that was unapproachable from the north and only approachable by a narrow strip of land to the south east, where it was defended by a ditch and gatehouse, and from the north west where it was defended by a second ditch.

The gatehouse is preserved as an upstanding wall 5m high and 3m long. It is constructed largely of reused masonry, some of which is Roman in date. One of the quoins of the gatehouse was a reused Roman altar and has been removed to Staward Manor. The gatehouse is a freestanding building and is protected to the east by a ditch up to 2m deep crossed by a narrow causeway. A second more substantial ditch is situated to the west of the pele tower and is up to 3.4m deep.

A timber pele was built on the site in 1316 by Antony de Lucy of Langley. In 1326 Edward II annexed part of Lucy’s land and noting the defensible nature of the site asked for tenders for a larger defendable complex to be built. Thomas de Featherstonehaugh answered the request and built the fortification. The site passed to Queen Phillippa and then to Edmund, Duke of York. The duke rented the site to Hexham Priory in 1385 until the Dissolution.