Biddlestone Hall Tower

Biddleston Hall Tower is a tower that was formerly part of Biddlestone Hall, now demolished. It stands on slopes that were tree-covered but have recently been felled, and there is a track accessing it designated as a public footpath.

The tower was originally a small tower house assessed as dating back to the 13th century. Only the ground floor of this building survives, and there is a clear break between the earlier masonry (walls some two metres thick) and the later building on top, which is a Roman Catholic chapel. On eth western and northern sides, the old masonry stands to a greater height, suggesting a destruction event took place resulting in a partial collapse rather than an ordered demolition.

The tower is, however, not mentioned until 1415, when it was a property of the Selby family. By 1509 there was a garrison here of 20 men, indicating a relatively modest structure, and in 1541 it had been provided with a courtyard wall as well. Following the Union of the Crowns in 1603, the building ceased to have a military function, and was gradually domesticised, eventually being converted into a substantial mansion house in the 18th century, following a major fire. In the 19th century the remodelling of the tower to form the chapel took place, and during the Second World War an air raid shelter was built into the basement, which can still be seen. After this the building was not returned to residential use, and much of the place was demolished in the 1960s.