Woodhouses Pcle, Coquctdcde. By D. D. Dixon. 175 



which slopes considerably from N.W. to S.E., and presents rather 

 a picturesque appearance, its walls of freestone ashlar work being 

 beautifully tinted with hues that age alone can produce. The 

 walls at the basement are o\ feet in thickness, and are about 30 

 feet high to the eaves, the steep pitched roof now thatched with 

 heather would be originally covered with heavy grey stone slates 

 fastened in the usual way with sheep shanks. The basement has a 

 barrel arched roof, and in the south-east corner are the remains of 

 a spiral stair leading to the upper apartment. The windows in 

 this chamber are small and deeply splayed on the inside, and have 

 been protected by stout iron bars ; the only original doorway has 

 been in the east gable; the sockets arc yet visible where the bar 

 was held for securing the entrance. Immediately over this door 

 is the stone spout and aperture in the wall, through which were 

 poured ignited combustibles, melted pitch, or even hot water. The 

 stone door head has the following cut upon it : — 

 W P . B P . 16 2. 

 T A M . 



Considering that the pele has been put to various uses since its 

 first erection, it is still in a very good state of preservation. 

 Several doorways having been broken through in modern times, 

 this has rather shaken the structiire. The basement is still used 

 as a byre, but the cattle of the present owner do not enter in the 

 great haste of former years — moss-trooping days (happily for us) 

 are now over. 



There is no account given of the name of its builder. Daring 

 the early part of the 17th century a large and influential f amity 

 named Pot or Potts resided in Coquetdale, and held lands at 

 High Trewhitt, Low Trewhitt, Farnham, Sharperton, and 

 Warton. The following short notices will show this family to 

 have been of some importance in the district, and its members 

 leading men for either good or evil. In 1629 a Eoger Pott was 

 brought before the court of High Commission at Durham, by 

 Alexander Menzie, curate of Alwinton, for " prophanacion of the 

 Sacramentes" in Alwinton church, on the Easter day in that year. 

 On the 24th January, 1648, Michael Potts of Sharperton, co. of 

 Northumberland, vintner, was a witness against the unfortunate 

 Chailes I. Amongst the vestrymen for the parish of Eothbury 

 in 1659, are found the names of Henry and Eobert Potts. In 

 1663, High and Low Trewhitt were possessed by Geo. Pott, and 



