A Tower and a Bridge

River Petterill (9)

The Petterill is now arriving at the village of Newton Reigny, but before we go there too, I am diverting a little to focus on Catterlen Hall, which is just outside the village. This is yet another of the fortified tower houses, or peles, which are so common round here. During the Middle Ages, conditions in these borderlands were unsettled and frequently war-like, so many of these towers were built, for security. There are still quite a few standing today, for example Yanwath and Blencow, but there would have been many more.
 
Catterlen Hall is made up of three parts. Originally there was just the massive 3-storey defensive tower, built around 1460. Then in 1577 the hall was added to it. And in the 1650s an extension was added – that’s the bit with the external staircase leading up to a rather ornate doorway. Round the back of the hall is a extensive walled garden area that reaches down to the river.

Across the road are farm buildings and there is a bridge connecting the house to the farm. This was built in 1856 and I assume it was built because the road runs through the farmyard. I used to use this little road, when I went to College at Newton Rigg, as a way of getting to the M6, and I often wondered why this bridge was there. Now I know.
 
Extra
We often meet one tractor on the road out of our village, sometimes we might meet two tractors, but never before have we met . . . lots and lots and lots of tractors!!