Amrita Cottage; Bastle. (Ireshopeburn)

A thick, walled house which has been considerably altered. {Ref. 1}. Amrita Cottage lies in the hamlet of West Blackdene, on the north bank of the Wear. The cottage, a Grade II Listed Building. It was first recognised as a potential historical building in a 1987 list which sees it as 'C16, possibly incorporating earlier fabric' and 'probably originally a defensible house'.

The house measures c15 by 6.4m externally, with a walls of coursed rubble c 0.85 m thick and a thick cross-wall set a little east-of-centre.

Despite extensive alterations in the mid-20th century, this is a interesting building. Its relatively thick walls and the small size of the original windows certainly suggests it was built with an eye to defence, but it is not a conventional bastle house.

Reference number: D3492
Historical period: Post-medieval (1540 to 1900)

See also:
Source of Reference
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Amrita Cottage © Ryder, P 2006

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