Cocklaw Tower

WALL COCKLAW NY 97 SW 2/339 Cocklaw Tower

15.4.69 I

Towerhouse, late C14 or early C15. Large squared stone, probably re-used Roman material. Rectangular plan; 3 floors,each with single large chamber,smaller chamber to south and newel stair at south-east corner. Chamfered set-back above basement and hollow-chamfered cornice (largely fallen) below parapet. South elevation shows central pointed chamfered doorway to basement and scattered chamfered loops; above cornice, remains of taller turret at south- west corner. East elevation shows similar doorway at 1st floor level with window of 2 trefoil-headed lights (mullion gone) to right, also various chamfered loops; west elevation shows similar 2-light 1st-floor window, north elevation only loops.

Interior: vaulted lobby with doorway to stair on right and hole broken through wall on left into former prison originally accessible only via trapdoor from painted chamber above. Main basement barrel vault partly fallen at north end. Painted chamber, with remains of C16 mural decoration, on south at 1st floor level, and garderobe to north-west. Mezzanine chamber on south between 1st and 2nd floors, entered only from stair.

The virtually-intact shell of a towerhouse.

W.H. Knowles, 1895, 'Cocklaw Tower', Trans Architectural and Archaeological Society of Durham and Northumberland, IV, 309-15.

Listing NGR: NY9392671154