Branshaw Bastle

By no means all historic ruins are the result of long term neglect. In many cases they are purposely 'ruin-ised' by owners or destroyed by military action, as was the case with the historic sixteenth century Branshaw Bastle house in Northumberland, part of a remote farm that requisitioned by the army in 1940.

Still on a busy army firing range, the conservation work which Robin Kent Architecture & Conservation advised in had to be carried out on a very tight time scale due to live firing re-commencing, and included clearing munitions, investigating the fallen doorway and re-establishing its original form, stabilising, consolidating and repointing with hydraulic lime mortar, indenting missing stones to provide support, and reestablishing the natural grass wall tops. The ruin is now consolidated and should be safe from further destruction providing it is properly maintained, providing an important link with the past for visitors and students. The consultancy has advised on several other ruined bastle houses, including Shilla and Boghead bastles.