Biddlestone Hall

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Turris de Bidilston; Bedylsden; Bidleston; Billesdun; Bittilsden; Byttylsden

In the civil parish of Biddlestone. In the historic county of Northumberland (Modern Authority of Northumberland, 1974 county of Northumberland).

Biddlestone Hall 1787-1816 and C19 chapel. The Hall contains the remains of a medieval tower house, the vaulted basement of which was used as an air raid shelter during World War II. A C19 chapel was built on the tower basement. Inside, the basement has a characteristic barrel vault and several other medieval features are visible including a doorway. The plan of the tower is unusual because it is elongated and the main entrance lies in a gable end, a feature more often seen in later bastle houses. The tower represents the only surviving remains of a fortified manor house first recorded in 1415. It was incorporated into a larger manor house in C17 and later formed part of Biddlestone Hall, built between 1787-1816. The upper floors of the tower were converted into a chapel in the early C19. The tunnel vaulted basement was converted into an air raid shelter during World War II. The remainder of Biddlestone Hall was demolished circa 1960, leaving only the tower. It is commonly believed that the mansion was the one on which Sir Walter Scott based Osbaldeston Hall in Rob Roy.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 236111)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NT95530831

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 1418
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is N1108 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://www.hct.org.uk/chapel6netherton2.html
    http://www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=N1108
    http://www.sine.newcastle.ac.uk/view_structure_information.asp?struct_id=32
• Books
  • Ryder, Peter, 2004, 'Towers and bastles in Northumberland National Park' in Frodsham, P., Archaeology in Northumberland National Park (CBA Research report 136) p262-271
    Ryder, P.F., 2000, 'Biddlestone Chapel: a tower, chapel, and air-raid shelter' Archaeology in Northumberland 1999-2000 p21
    Dodds, John F., 1999, Bastions and Belligerents (Keepdate Publishing) p171-3
    Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles and Tower Houses of Northumberland (Malvern) p26
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p200 [slight]
    Pevsner, N., 1992 (revised by Grundy, John et al), The Buildings of England: Northumberland (London, Penguin) p186-7
    Rowland, T.H., 1987 [reprint1994], Medieval Castles, Towers, Peles and Bastles of Northumberland (Sandhill Press) p36
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2
    Graham, Frank, 1976, The Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Frank Graham) p68-9
    Long, B., 1967, Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) p68
    RCHME, 1963. Monuments Threatened ot Destroyed: a select list 1956-1962 (London) p52
    Dodds, Madeleine Hope (ed), 1940, Northumberland County History (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) Vol15 p417-18, 428
    Dixon, D.D., 1903. Upper Coquetdale (Newcastle) p246
    Bates, C.J., 1891, Border Holds of Northumberland (London and Newcastle: Andrew Reid) p19, 24, 43
• Journal Articles
  • Hodgson, J.C., 1916, 'List of Ruined Towers, Chapels, etc., in Northumberland; compiled about 1715 by John Warburton, Somerset Herald, aided by John Horsley' Archaeologia Aeliana [ser3] Vol13 p3
    Dixon, 1901-2, History of the Berwickshire Naturalist Club Vol18 p74-8
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • 1541 Survey of the East and Middle Marches [http://homepage.mac.com/philipdavis/numblis5.html]
    1509 Survey of Tevedale [http://homepage.mac.com/philipdavis/numblis3.html]
    1415 list of Northumberland Castles [http://homepage.mac.com/philipdavis/numblis2.html]