Newcastle town wall, Durham Tower

HER Number:
1530

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Newcastle town wall, Durham Tower

Place:
Newcastle

Map Sheet:
NZ26SW

Class:
Defence

Site Type: Broad:
Town Defences

Site Type: Specific:
Town Wall

General Period:
Medieval

Specific Period:
C13

Form of Evidence:
Ruined Building

Description:
An almost complete example of a single-storeyed semi-circular tower. The rectangular rib-vaulted room is lit by two surviving loops (the third is now a door), and was originally entered from the intra-mural lane though this door is now blocked. Externally the tower retains traces of six sets of three oversailing corbels to support a bretasche; the parapet round its flat roof is largely missing. It is not clear how the roof of the tower was reached. Was once used as a military lock-up, and in the 19th century "as a coal and lumber room for the adjoining school". SCHEDULED ANCIENT MONUMENT AND LISTED GRADE 1

Easting:
2440

Northing:
6411

Grid Reference:
NZ24406411

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 1530 >> S. Holmes, 1896, The Town Walls of Newcastle upon Tyne, Archaeologia Aeliana, 2, XVIII, 14 P. Brewis, 1934, The West Walls of Newcastle upon Tyne, Between Durham and Ever Towers, Archaeologia Aeliana, 4, XI, passim. C.H.H. Blair, 1937, The Walls of Newcastle...illustrated...by George Bouchier Richardson, Archaeologia Aeliana, 4, XIV, p. 126 and pl. xv.2