Name: Black Middens Bastle House
Rating: 5.0

Black Middens Bastle House

Hexham NE48 1NE, UK

1-99 Years

Paid

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Description

Black Middens Bastle House is situated in an isolated spot on the north side of the Tarset Valley. A bastle house is a type of fortified, or defensible, farmhouse peculiar to the Border country between England and Scotland.

Most examples were built from the mid-16th to the mid-17th centuries, in response to cross-border raids and national boundary disputes. They are generally two-storey buildings, with living accommodation on the first floor and shelter for cattle and sheep on the ground floor. They were homes and refuges for rich freeholders, lairds and heads of border clans.

Free Entry. If you are looking for Best place for day out with kids and families then this is the perfect destination offering fun, adventure, and unforgettable memories for everyone.

Features

Paid
Host birthday parties: No

Features

This bastle has several typical features. It is a rectangular building with thick walls built of roughly squared large stone blocks. As is usual, these are laid irregularly with smaller packing stones in between.
Though the bastle house is now roofless, the lower ends of the timber roof-trusses are still visible. In 1970 it was recorded as having a slate roof. There was originally only one doorway, for livestock, in the east-facing wall. This has been blocked with masonry.
The south wall has two modern doorways, inserted when the ground floor was divided by a partition wall; these are now blocked by iron grilles. For security the ground floor had narrow ventilation slits rather than windows.
Access to the upper floor was by external steps and holes for a drawbar to secure the first-floor door can still be seen. There would also have been internal access, by ladder, to the living quarters. Some bastles had stone barrel vaults to support the first floor; others, such as Black Middens, had timber beams. At the west end of the upper floor are stone corbels and timber beam holes to support a hearth.

Facilities

Parking: There is a small car park on a minor road - please follow the brown signs.
Dogs: Please keep dogs on leads.

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Price

Price: Paid

Price Details

Free Entry.

Pricing URL: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/black-middens-bastle-house/opening-times/

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

Open any reasonable time during daylight hours.

Address: Hexham NE48 1NE, UK

Post Code: NE48 1NE

Council: Northumberland

County: Northumberland

Road Access: 180 metres north of minor road, 7 miles north-west of Bellingham; or along a minor road from A68.
Bus Access: Arriva service 714 (summer Sun only) serves Lanehead (3 miles). Otherwise nearest bus service is Snaith’s/Tyne Valley service 880 which links Hexham and Bellingham (7 miles)
Bicycle Access: Find this site on The National Cycle Network.
Parking: There is a small car park on a minor road - please follow the brown signs.