Excavations and Surveys

The first recorded archaeological excavations were by Herbert Honeyman in the 1930s. Unfortuantely, Honeyman’s original documentation does not survive, though his work was reported on by Madeleine Hope-Dodds (1940) in The History of Northumberland vol. 15 and by Hunter Blair in 1935 in The History of the Berwickshire Naturalists Club vol. 28.

Honeyman examined the inner Bailey, including the cross wall gatehouse and its associated postern gate (a bit like a modern side or back gate on a house), the north tower of the cross wall; the fore building to the keep and the keep itself. This work seems to have been largely a rubble clearing exercise.

The site was surveyed by the then Royal Commission on Historic Monuments (England) in 1990 and the structural evidence assessed by local building historian Peter Ryder in 1992. 1997 saw a programme of conservation and excavation begun by the Northumberland National Park Authority in partnership with English Heritage and Newcastle University The initial stages of this research saw the site resurveyed using Ground Penetrating Radar in an attempt to identify earlier earthworks and ditches.  While no obvious earlier features were identified, this work did provide important results for the understanding of the development of the castle.  The profile of the eastern ditch of the eastern (outer) bailey was clearly defined to a depth of 3m below the causeway which was the main access to the medieval borough of Harbottle. The survey indicates that this causeway was a later insertion at the entrance and may relate to a period when the outer bailey was no longer defended. The GPR survey also showed that the outer ditch of the castle fortifications had been revetted in stone. Work on the top of the motte also identified the course of the outer wall of the keep and also the presence of internal structures arranged around what seems to be a small ‘courtyard’ on the top of the motte.

In 1998 –1999 excavations were carried out on the middle gate and the cross wall and also on the motte. These were directed by James Crow of the Department of Archaeology, Newcastle University. This work showed the complex nature of the building sequence on the site.

Summary Of The Excavtion Results By Phases

The stone cross wall between inner and outer baileys (eastern and western) was constructed and the earlier, simple gateway was buried beneath the visible gatehouse remains (pre- 1200).

A stone gatehouse with a 10.30 m long side wall (2.30m wide) with a portcullis and a gate passage 3.05m wide was constructed. The gate passage is set asymmetrically within the full width of gatehouse to respect existing buildings within the inner bailey and also because of the deep ditch to the south. (Thirteenth century).

A narrow cross wall with a postern was shown to abut the gatehouse on the south side and is structurally later than it. This wall runs across the ditch at the base of the motte and up its northern side. (Thirteenth century).

Major alterations were subsequently made to the gateway including removal of buttresses, the addition of counterpoise drawbridge with two draw bridge pits and a Barbican (an outer defensive building, in front of the main gateway) (Fourteenth century).

The drawbridge was abandoned and the related pits were filled in. These were then crossed by two phases of road surface. A further cobbled surface was constructed on north side of drawbridge pit, parallel with front gate. (Fifteenth century)

A range of buildings was constructed against the outer face of the gatehouse and the cross wall. there was much re-use of  masonry, and it is thought that this activty may represent a period of structural decay. The gate passage continued in use. (Sixteenth/Seventeenth century).

The gate was finally demolished and the interior of the gate passage was filled with rubble. A narrow blocking wall was constructed across and over the portcullis jambs.

The site was an important Tudor fortress and Henry VIII began a programme of re-fortification with artillery in 1539. The artillery works on the motte (the round gun ports) probably date to this period. There were limited excavations on these in 1999.

A much fuller discussion of the work at Harbottle Castle can be found in J. Crow, 2004. Harbottle Castle. Excavation and Survey. In P. Frodsham (ed.) Archaeology in Northumberland National Park. C.B.A. Resarch Report, 136, 246-261.