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Arnside Tower is a pele tower situated in the parish of Arnside in Westmorland, constructed during the late medieval period as a defensive structure characteristic of the border regions of northern England. Built of stone, the tower represents the type of fortified dwelling erected by gentry and minor nobility from the fourteenth century onwards, particularly in response to cross-border raiding from Scotland. The tower served both residential and defensive purposes, affording its occupants protection whilst maintaining a position of local authority and status within the community. Such structures were common throughout the Lake District and surrounding areas during the medieval and early modern periods, reflecting the strategic importance of maintaining secure bases in vulnerable frontier territories.
Arnside Tower is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1007142. View the official record →
Arnside Tower is a pele tower situated in the parish of Arnside in Westmorland, constructed during the late medieval period as a defensive structure characteristic of the border regions of northern England. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1007142.
Arnside Tower is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1007142.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Hazelslack Tower (2.6 km), Dog Holes Cave (4.5 km), Badger Hole, Warton Crag (4.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Arnside Tower's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Arnside Tower stands on Dinantian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Mississippian. The rock here is limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous rocks.