Elsdon Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elsdon Tower |
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 Elsdon Tower |
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 Elsdon Tower
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| OS grid reference | NY93609339 |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Northumbria |
| Fire | Northumberland |
| Ambulance | North East |
| EU Parliament | North East England |
Elsdon Tower is a really old and important building in Elsdon, Northumberland. It's a special kind of old house called a tower house, built way back in the 1400s. This tower is so important that it's a Grade I listed building. It used to be part of Elsdon Castle and later became a home for a church leader. Today, it's a private home. This tower has been changed and updated many times over the years.
Contents
The Tower's Story
Early Days of Elsdon Tower
The first time anyone wrote about Elsdon Tower was in 1415. Back then, it was called Vicars Pele. It was a pele tower, which is a small tower house often built to protect against raids. A church leader, the Rector of Elsdon, lived there.
Close by, you can still see the remains of a very old medieval castle. This castle is called Elsdon Castle. It was built by a person named Robert de Umfraville. This type of castle is known as a motte and bailey castle.
How the Tower Changed
Elsdon Tower originally had four floors. But in the 1600s, it was made smaller. It became a three-story building with a steep roof. The top of the tower has a special wall called a castellated parapet. This wall looks like the top of a castle.
The tower is about 13.15 meters long and 9.4 meters wide. Its longest side runs from west-north-west to east-south-east. The walls are super thick, about 2.6 meters! The roof inside is made of timber. You can see the crest, or symbol, of the Umfraville family on the walls. This family used to live in the area. They later moved from Elsdon Castle to Harbottle Castle.
Later Additions and Updates
Over time, more buildings were added to the north and west sides of the tower. Between 1820 and 1826, a person named Archdeacon Singleton added a new entrance porch. He also built a two-story house extension with two main sections.
In 1953, Elsdon Tower was officially named a Grade I listed building. This means it's considered very important historically. The tower was used as the Rectory, or church leader's home, until 1960.
Between 1995 and 1998, the tower was fully fixed up and made new again. During this work, people did a lot of archaeological research. This helped them learn more about the tower's past. Today, only a few parts from the original 1400s building remain. These include a special toilet area called a garderobe and a fireplace on what was the first floor.
Elsdon Tower is now a private home, so you can't go inside. However, you can still see it from nearby.
