Ludworth Tower was a manor house and later a pele tower in the pit village of Ludworth, County Durham. Only ruins survive today.
| Ludworth Tower | |
|---|---|
| Ludworth, County Durham | |
 The ruins of Ludworth Tower in 2021 | |
  Ludworth Tower | |
| Coordinates | 54°46′00″N 1°26′16″W / 54.76657°N 1.4377006°W |
| Type | Manor house, pele tower |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Ruined |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1411 |
| Materials | Limestone and sandstone |
History
editLudworth Tower was built by the de Ludworth family and it passed into the hands of the Holden family, who added the tower in 1411.[1] Roger Holden gained a licence on 6 August 1422 to crenelate Ludworth Tower to Thomas Holden by Cardinal Thomas Langley and during the same year Thomas added a rectangular pele tower to the structure which was at least three storeys high.[1]
in 1785 W. Hutchinson noted that Ludworth Tower was a ruin.[2]
In 1890, most of the ruins collapsed, leaving only the ruins that survive today extant. In 1905 a ditch was apparently discovered near the tower[3] but no signs of the ditch survive today. The only surviving remains are the barrel-vaulted basement, the three storey west wall and fragments of a first floor spiral stair in the south wall.
References
edit- ^ a b Margot Johnson. "Ludworth Tower" in Durham: Historic and University City and surrounding area. Sixth Edition. Turnstone Ventures. 1992. ISBN 094610509X. Page 31.
- ^ W. Hutchinson, The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham, 1785, 3 vols; II586
- ^ Gould, Chalkley, 1905, 'Ancient Earthworks' in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Durham Vol. 1 (London) p. 359