16th Century Houses in the Borders

Late 16th century Northumberland has long been thought too wild and warlike to have enabled much elite house building. Continuing tensions between England and Scotland, border rievers, general lawlessness and the distance from the English Court, all seem to support this view. But how true is it? Catherine Kent is currently researching 16th century houses in the eastern borderlands as part of a PhD at the University of Durham. Her work will test the long-held prejudice, and contribute to our understanding of the architectural development of the north of England and southern Scotland.