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NETHERWITTON HALL

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Country house of 1685, with remains of an earlier tower, by Robert Trollop for Sir Nicholas Thornton. Three-storeyed square building with wings, extended circa 1900. This building succeeded the `castle of Witton' built by Roger de Thornton I, parts of which remain and are incorporated. This was probably built between 1405 and 1415, when it was described in a survey as `Turris de Witton iuxta aquam'. Some additions or alterations were made to the castle in 1483. The north side of the house retains a tower staircase and a medieval Roman Catholic chapel, which has not been used as such since the 1700's, both formerly part of the castle. The castle appears to have stood on the site of the present gardens.

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[NZ 1022 9047] Netherwitton Hall [TI] (1)

Tower at Netherwitton; remains incorporated in later mansion. (2)

Netherwitton, the seat of John Thornton Esq., a neat regular
freestone building in the figure of a long square, 14 yards long, 7 windows in front, flat roof, with banisters, covered with lead,
erected 1698. On the north east side are some remains of an ancient tower, formerly the mansion house. (3)

Listed in the 1415 Survey as 'TURRIS de WHITTON iuxta aquam'. [Not mentioned in the 1541 Survey pp 29-49]. (4)

The castle of Witton was built by Roger de Thornton the First. Some additions or repairs were probably done to it in 1483 as there is a tablet, with a weather moulding round it, above the north door of the present house, bearing the arms of Thornton. It is said to have stood just to the south of the gardens, where some apple trees grow. The present house was visited by Oliver Cromwell in the summer of 1651, and tradition has made it the hiding place of Lord Lovat after his flight from Culloden. It is built of white free-stone, now weathered and grey and is of three storeys. (5)

Roger Thornton purchased the manor of Witton in 1405, and built for himself a castle, which is stated to have stood on the site of the present gardens. The estate remained in his family until 1747, when it came to the Trevelyans. (6)

It is thought there are some remains of Roger Thornton's Castle of Witton incorporated in the present hall. (7)

"Netherwitton Hall is much more likely to be of 1651 than 1698. On the north side are the remains of the old tower, and the chapel,
which has not been used as such since the 1700's. There is a Priests' hiding place at the Hall too. The north-east wing was built this century." (8b).

Netherwitton Hall is a large rectangular building situated amid ornamental grounds, and facing south. The facade is of a formal, balanced design of the C17. Adjoining the north-east corner is a modern wing built in the same style. On the north side are two wings. Part of the easternmost wing comprises the stair turret of the old tower. There are three blocked two-light mullioned windows, one at each floor, above the north entrance, which has a flat-pointed arch. Over the doorway, is a moulded stone with the inscription:-
"ANNO REGIS EDWARD I QUINTI" (1483)
Built against the turret on the east side is a narrow block of
equal proportions, but of later date. Contemporary with it is the
westernmost wing. There are no architectural features whereby these later structures can be dated. The little building adjoining the westernmost wing, and once the chapel, is probably contemporary with the wing. The Hall stands upon level ground overlooking the valley of the Font to the west and south. The ground rises gently to the north. The tenant Mrs Steel, can offer no further information. (8)

Condition unchanged. (9)

Listed by Cathcart King. (10)

Country house of 1685, with remains of an earlier tower, by Robert Trollop for Sir Nicholas Thornton. Three-storeyed square building with wings, extended circa 1900. This building succeeded the `castle of Witton' built by Roger de Thornton I, parts of which remain and are incorporated. This was probably built between 1405 and 1415, when it was described in a survey as `Turris de Witton iuxta aquam'. Some additions or alterations were made to the castle in 1483. The north side of the house retains a tower staircase and a medieval Roman Catholic chapel, which has not been used as such since the 1700's, both formerly part of the castle. The castle appears to have stood on the site of the present gardens. Listed Grade I. (11)

Listed by Dodds. (12)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1924

( 2) Archaeologia Aeliana : or miscellaneous tracts relating to antiquity

4th Ser 1939 (RN Hadcock) 16 Page(s)169

( 3a) Externally held archive reference

MS.John Warburton

( 3) Archaeologia Aeliana : or miscellaneous tracts relating to antiquity

3rd Ser 1916 (J.C.Hodgson) 13 Page(s)8

( 4) Archaeologia Aeliana : or miscellaneous tracts relating to antiquity

2nd Ser 1891 (CJ Bates) 14 Page(s)16

( 5) General reference

Hodgson J 1827 History of Northumberland Part 2 (1) 319-327

( 6) General reference

Guide to Northumberland 1902 274 (WW Tomlinson)

( 7) Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne

2nd Ser 1893-4 6 Page(s)210

( 8b) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

( 8) Field Investigators Comments

F1 ASP 14-JAN-57

( 9) Field Investigators Comments

F2 BHP 28-JUN-71

(10) David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume II : Norfolk-Yorkshire and the islands

2 Page(s)338

(11) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

District of Castle Morpeth, 30-JAN-1986

(12) Dodds, JF 1988 Bastions and Belligerents: Medieval Strongholds in Northumberland

Page(s)247-9

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