A remarkable Grade I listed tower house, recorded as a “Vicar’s Pele” in 1415, Elsdon Tower is an exceptional example of a medieval fortified residence, retaining many of its original defensive and architectural features. The tower, together with the Gardener’s Cottage, stands within approximately 55 acres of woodland, pasture, and the historic motte known as Mote Hills.
Dating from the 15th century and subsequently enlarged during the 18th and 19th centuries, Elsdon Tower now provides approximately 6,439 sq ft (598.2 sq m) of accommodation. The property successfully combines its fortified medieval core with later additions that create a substantial and highly distinctive country residence arranged over three principal floors.
Occupying an elevated position overlooking the village green, the tower retains a wealth of historic features and offers an exceptionally rare opportunity to acquire one of Northumberland’s most significant historic houses.
Summary of Accommodation
The Tower
Garden Room | Living Room | Breakfast Kitchen | Dining Room | Sitting Room | Snug | Laundry Room | Workshop | Garage | Utility Room | Ground Floor Cloakrooms
Principal Bedroom Suite with Connecting Bathroom | Three Further Bedrooms | Family Bathroom | Spacious Landings | First Floor Cloakroom
Second Floor Meeting Room or Additional Bedroom with Storage and Roof Access
Gardener’s Cottage
Kitchen | Sitting Room | Bedroom | Bathroom
Elsdon Tower
Approached through traditional stone gate piers from the village, a gravelled driveway sweeps gracefully around the tower, creating an impressive arrival. Ground Floor Entering through the north vestibule, the ground floor opens into a series of generous and welcoming reception rooms arranged around the medieval core of the tower. The original vaulted basement, now serving as an elegant drawing room, forms the atmospheric heart of the house and retains its early nineteenth-century Gothic rib-vaulted plaster ceiling together with a marble fireplace. The nineteenth-century additions to the north and west provide a practical and comfortable suite of accommodation, including a spacious dining room, a well-proportioned kitchen, leading to the Garden Room and a range of ancillary rooms comprising ground floor cloakrooms, pantry, back kitchen and service areas. These later additions allow the medieval tower to function seamlessly as a modern family home. The entrance hall and stair hall provide access to the remarkable medieval stone newel stair, which rises through every level of the tower.
First Floor
The first floor contains two principal rooms within the medieval tower, each preserving important historic features. The eastern chamber incorporates a restored medieval fireplace with chamfered stone arch and retains the deep embrasure of the original window. A former garderobe recess survives as a walk-in cupboard. To the west, the second principal chamber contains the notable Percy, Lucy and Howard heraldic plaster friezes. This room connects to a wall-thickness closet through a rare medieval two-centred moulded doorway. The nineteenth-century north and west wings provide additional bedrooms and a study, all enjoying generous proportions and attractive views across the village and surrounding valley. Two bathrooms serve this level, both of which are well appointed.
Second Floor
The upper floor of the tower forms a dramatic and highly flexible living space. The principal chamber is particularly impressive, with exposed medieval window recesses and the remains of several historic fireplaces. Two smaller rooms at the western end are suitable for use as dressing rooms, studies or additional bedrooms. One provides access to the remarkable L-shaped medieval garderobe chamber, complete with its original chute extending the full height of the tower wall. The nineteenth-century wings on this level provide further bedrooms and useful storage accommodation. Above the second floor, a cap house sits within the parapet walk and is accessed internally. The parapet provides views across the Elsdon valley, and the stone slate roof retains traditional vernacular construction methods. Externally, the tower displays a machicolated projection above the north entrance, embattled parapets with heraldic panels, a medieval string course and several blocked loops, together with a 19th century castellated porch and entrance hall. The walls are of coursed rubble with massive quoins, characteristic of Northumberland tower houses.
Gardeners Cottage
Detached from the tower, the accommodation is arranged over two floors and comprises, Kitchen, Sitting Room, Bedroom and Bathroom.
Externally
Surrounding the Tower are exquisitely maintained formal lawns, well stocked and planted with trees and hedging, many seating areas, an ornamental pond, mature woodland, a substantial greenhouse/ potting shed, together with sweeping stone wall-enclosed pasture. This is a truly remarkable country estate, where centuries of history are woven seamlessly into an idyllic rural setting. The handsome gardens and grounds of Elsdon Tower extend to approximately 55 acres, and include the extraordinary Mote Hills Motte and Bailey largely in its original form and is the best example of a motte and bailey castle in Northumberland. Remarkably well-preserved medieval fortress commanding an elevated natural spur and offering a rare sense of history, grandeur and seclusion.
Mote Hills is both a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Listed Building (Historic England List Entry Number 1007524). The motte-and-bailey castle occupies an elevated natural spur that was modified to create substantial defensive earthworks. The roughly circular motte rises approximately 15 metres and measures around 80 metres in diameter at its base, narrowing to approximately 46 metres across its summit. A substantial earthen rampart, ranging between 1.5 and 3 metres in height, protects the northern and eastern sides, while the steep natural slope to the west provides additional defence.
The bailey lies to the north of the motte and is separated by a broad crescent-shaped ditch approximately 15 metres wide. Rectangular in plan, it measures approximately 72 metres east to west and 48 metres north to south internally. It is enclosed by a substantial earthen rampart averaging 20 metres in width and up to 10 metres in height. A shallow outer ditch, also approximately 15 metres wide, surrounds the complex. The stone boundary walls to the south and east, together with the wall crossing the northern edge of the site, are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath them remains protected.
