The Boundaries Discussion : Thompson's Walls

Thompsons Wall Thompsons Walls Thompsons Wall

Thompson's Walls section 1 begins on the south west side of the holding at Countrup Sike, which is the intersection with Shotton Farm lands. To the east of this point on the flanks of Coldsmouth Hill are the remains of what appear to be a fairly typical shieling. The 1st edition Ordnance Survey map records it as 'Old Stell': however, on a matter of twenty years earlier it appears to be the site of the Coldsmouth Farm recorded on the tithe map and farmed by one James Rea. It cannot however be assumed that the farm was inhabited at the time (NRO DT 111).

Section 1 extends over the shoulder of Coldsmouth Hill to the south and then turns north east around the south side of the hill.  It comprises a modern post and sheep netting fence with no indication of an earlier boundary. This boundary has however remained constant since at least 1845 as the southern limit of the Coldsmouth and Thompson Walls holdings. At the end of this section is a stone walled sheepfold and to the east of it the earthwork remains of the deserted mediaeval village of Haddon. The Tithe Map indicates that at this point the holding boundary ran south east towards Scald Hill and Elsdonburn and then north east over Heddon Hill and joins the modern holding boundary between Haddon Hill and Longknowe Hill. This also marks the township boundary between Thompson's Walls and Westnewton. On the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map this is described as 'undivided moor'.

Section 2 stone wall to the south of the sheepfold encompasses an area of improved grassland, which predates the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map. Section 3, also a stone wall, is a post-1865 expansion of this improved land. Section 4 is a section of stone wall around the small farmstead called Elsdonburn Shank but previously known by the rather more lyrical name Butterstones Shank.

Section 5 runs eastwards from the road below Elsdonburn Shank and comprises a rather dilapidated stone wall with continuous post and sheep netting fence. Near the beginning of this section, to the east of the burn, is a sheep smoot, which has been constructed to include as its lintel the sandstone lintel or sill of a mullioned window. This is slightly damaged on one side. It is unlikely that such a piece of masonry would have been brought far for inclusion into a field wall, therefore it is likely that a ruinous house of some standing was close by. The 1st edition Ordnance Survey map records a number of unnamed and therefore most likely derelict, farmsteads. The possibility remains of a hitherto unrecognised bastle in the area, perhaps the tower at Antechester. The bastle or proto-bastle form of building is increasingly being recognised for its frequency throughout the border country prior to the economic and political changes which led to the 'great rebuilding' of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

On the shoulder between Longknowe Hill and Haddon Hill the wall runs alongside a stone walled curvilinear settlement. Beside this, no doubt to take advantage of the available stone, is the remains of a shieling, erroneously described as a sheepfold on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map. The character of the wall changes for a short stretch at this point, to include large, almost orthostatic fragments, clearly robbed from the settlement walls.

The section continues north eastwards down the valley. To the north of Straw Hill is the junction with the Kilham Longknowe holding. Here the wall section continues as Kilham Longknowe boundary section 15 to the road near Canno Mill.

Sections 6 - 9 are modern post and wire fences extending to the north west to the col between Longknowe Hill and Kilham Hill and then down to the road. Section 6, on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map, is shown as discontinuous, with no indication of it at the col or to the North West. A hedge bank including a number of mature trees extends from the North West to meet the modern post and wire fence at the junction of sections 7 and 8. From here it runs parallel to the fence line. The hedge bank has a well-defined ditch on the south side and fairly continuous line of out-grown hawthorns. The hedge bank abruptly ends and a wall foundation (section 9) continues along the same line. Small areas of quarrying were observed to the south. The 1st edition Ordnance survey map shows the hedge bank and wall as two sides of a large rather irregular enclosure of previously improved pasture, with the outline of the boundaries still fairly clear on the ground. Running across the hill at this point is a series of lynchets with the wall foundation running over the top of them.

On the North West side of the valley the Thompson's Walls boundaries largely consist of very recent post and sheep netting fences alongside redundant and relict hedge banks. The boundary of the holding in 1845 was the hedge bank approximately 600m to the south-west of the present one.