Little Harle Tower

Little Harle Tower is a privately owned country house with 15th century origins, at Little Harle, Kirkwhelpington, Northumberland. It is a Grade II* listed building. [http://www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=N10487 Keys to the Past] ] .

The property, believed to have been built in the late 15th century as a pele tower, was first recorded in a survey of 1541

Until 1552 it was the property of the Fenwick family, from whom it passed to the Aynsleys. ["A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 1" JohnBurke (1835) p 588] . In about 1848 it was purchased by Thomas Anderson of Newcastle (High Sheriff of Northumberland in 1843). [ [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=51007 "A Topographical Dictionary Of England (1848) from British History Online] ] and his descendants remain in residence.

The house incorporates a three storey tower of medieval origins. The central two storey block of five bays dates from the early 18th century. [ [http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?pid=1&id=239604 Images of England, Tower] ] Substantial additions were made in the Gothic Revival style in about 1862 but much of the 19th century work has not survived a remodelling of the property in 1980. [ [http://sine.ncl.ac.uk/view_structure_information.asp?struct_id=179 Structures of the North East] ] .

The 19th century stable block is a Grade II listed building. [ [http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=239606&mode=quick Images of England, Stable block] ]

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