Elsdon And Harbottle

Whatever the precise date when the Umfraville liberty was established, it has generally been assumed that its initial seat was the great earthwork castle at Elsdon Mote Hills, comprising a half-ringwork and bailey (Hunter Blair 1944, 132-4; Cathcart King & Alcock 1969, 119; Quiney 1976, 177-8).

The reason for the siting of the Norman ringwork-and bailey-castle at Elsdon Mote Hills is clear, if, as argued above, Elsdon was the pre-Norman caput for most of Redesdale. Even in the 13th and 14th centuries, when the seat of the lordship was well-established at Harbottle, Elsdon retained vestiges of its former status, most notably it remained the parochial centre for much of the liberty, embracing most of Redesdale up to the border. It was still one of the largest settlements, populated by free tenants, and was something of an economic centre.

However, the circumstances whereby the seat of the lordship came to situated at Harbottle, involving a presumed shift from Elsdon, which paradoxically resulted in the 'liberty of Redesdale' being administered from a castle in Coquetdale, remain much less clear. Whether examined from the standpoint of strategic requirements of border defence, or the administrative and policing considerations of the Umfraville barons, the position of Harbottle does not appear conclusively better than Elsdon. However, Harbottle is undeniably a site of some strategic importance (Bowden 1990; Hunter Blair 1944, 136), and is also situated closer to the border than is Elsdon Mote Hills, which may have been significant.

Nevertheless, however well its situation in Coquetdale enabled it to dominate and protect that valley, the castle appears ill placed to perform those roles in Redesdale proper.

Picture : Harbottle Castle