Whitley tower

HER Number:
726

District:
N Tyneside

Site Name:
Whitley tower

Place:
Whitley Bay

Map Sheet:
NZ37SE

Class:
Defence

Site Type: Broad:
Fortified House

Site Type: Specific:
Tower House

General Period:
Medieval

Specific Period:
C14

Form of Evidence:
Documentary Evidence

Description:
The Northumberland County History records that "Gilbert de Whitley received royal licence on April 9th, 1345, to crenellate his manor house at Whitley. The tower recurs in the list of castles and fortalices drawn up in 1415, but probably soon fell into disuse, as there is no mention of it in the survey of 1538, and no tradition survives as to its site. Gilbert de Whitley was an expert military architect, holding the office in 1356, of master and supervisor of the king's work in the castle of Newcastle". A manor-house is marked in the centre of the south row on the first edition Ordnance Survey map - the tower could have been its predecessor, but other sites are also possible, such as on the north side in the area of the present Whitley House.

Easting:
354

Northing:
721

Grid Reference:
NZ354721

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 726 >> HHE Craster, 1907, Whitley Township, NCH, VIII, p 395