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Ludworth Tower

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Ludworth Tower
Ludworth, County Durham
The ruins of Ludworth Tower in 2021
Ludworth Tower is located in County Durham
Ludworth Tower
Ludworth Tower
Coordinates54°46′00″N 1°26′16″W / 54.76657°N 1.4377006°W / 54.76657; -1.4377006
TypeManor house, pele tower
Site information
Open to
the public
Yes
ConditionRuined
Site history
Built1411
MaterialsLimestone and sandstone

Ludworth Tower was a manor house and later a pele tower in the pit village of Ludworth, County Durham. Only ruins survive today.

History

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Ludworth Tower was built by the de Ludworth family and it passed into the hands of the Holden family, who added the tower in 1411.[1] Roger Holden gained a licence on 6 August 1422 to crenelate Ludworth Tower to Thomas Holden by Cardinal Thomas Langley and during the same year Thomas added a rectangular pele tower to the structure which was at least three storeys high.[1]

in 1785 W. Hutchinson noted that Ludworth Tower was a ruin.[2]

In 1890, most of the ruins collapsed, leaving only the ruins that survive today extant. In 1905 a ditch was apparently discovered near the tower[3] but no signs of the ditch survive today. The only surviving remains are the barrel-vaulted basement, the three storey west wall and fragments of a first floor spiral stair in the south wall.

References

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  1. ^ a b Margot Johnson. "Ludworth Tower" in Durham: Historic and University City and surrounding area. Sixth Edition. Turnstone Ventures. 1992. ISBN 094610509X. Page 31.
  2. ^ W. Hutchinson, The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham, 1785, 3 vols; II586
  3. ^ Gould, Chalkley, 1905, 'Ancient Earthworks' in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Durham Vol. 1 (London) p. 359