Cessford Castle and the Siege of 1523 The ruin of Cessford Castle, which in 1523 the English esteemed the third strongest in Scotland, stands on high ground overlooking the valley of the Kale Water, six…
Buckholm Tower, Nr Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scottish Borders Buckholm Tower stands isolated high on an exposed fellside above the valley of the Gala Water about a mile north of Galashiels. The 16th century tower house is…
Branxholm Castle Branxholm is situated about three miles west of Hawick on a bend in the river Teviot. It was once the main stronghold of the great and warlike family of Scott of Buccleuch. The…
Wark Castle, Wark on Tweed Wark Castle was built in the 12th century to guard one of the main fords of the Tweed and the remains overlook the river and village from a gigantic mound.…
Thirlwall Castle, Greenhead, Northumberland Thirlwall Castle stands on high ground above the Tipalt Burn near Greenhead in Northumberland. The building is entirely constructed from Roman stone which demonstrates why the Roman Wall has disappeared in…
Shittleheugh Pele, Pele-House or Bastle, Redesdale, Northumberland The shattered remains of Shittleheugh stand high above the river Rede and are a conspicuous landmark in Redesdale. The side walls have fallen but the gable ends still…
Hole Bastle, Bellingham, Northumberland Hole Bastle stands between Woodburn and Bellingham and is a most interesting example of a fortified farmhouse of a type once common on the Border. In times past the ground floor…
Harbottle Castle, Coquetdale, Northumberland Harbottle Castle, at the western end of a line of strongholds in Coquetdale, was in a position of importance in the defence of the Border. The castle is sited about eight…
Great Tosson Tower, Coquetdale, Northumberland Great Tosson Tower stands close under the Simonside Hills in Coquetdale a mile or so above Rothbury. The tower was one of a series of fortifications guarding Coquetdale where its…
Ford Castle, Ford, Northumberland Ford Castle stands about six miles below the Border in the valley of the river Till, a tributary of the Tweed. William Heron was given a licence to crenellate or fortify…
Etal Castle, Etal, Northumberland Etal Castle stands about four miles below the Border on the river Till, a tributary of the Tweed. The castle is deserted and ruinous as it has been since James IV…
Elsdon Tower or Pele, Elsdon, Northumberland Three miles east of Otterburn, the old grey pele-tower at Elsdon stands on the high bank of the Elsdon Burn and dominates the dwellings that fringe the village green.…
The Vicar's Pele at Corbridge, Northumberland The Vicar's Pele stands well preserved, repaired and re-roofed within the churchyard in Corbridge. It was first built in the early 14th century and we know that in 1415…
Cocklaw Tower, North Tyne Valley, Chollerton, Northumberland The substantial remains of Cocklaw Tower stand in the valley of the North Tyne about a mile below Chollerton. The ruined tower stands in isolation in a farmyard…
