Holywell Hall And The West Wing

BRANCEPETH HOLYWELL NZ 23 NE (South side) 6/10 Inset Holywell Hall 16/9/75 and The West Wing (formerly listed as Holywell Hall) GV II*

Large house, now 2 dwellings: early-mid C18 main block with probably C16 wing forms Holywell Hall; C19 rear wing is now separate dwelling called The West Wing. Coursed sandstone rubble with dressings. Graduated green slate roofs and C19 stone chimney stacks. The West Wing has rendered walls, Welsh slate roof and brick chimney stacks. 3-storey, 5-bay main block: roughly-squared quoins and windows grouped 2 + 1 + 2. Central 2-leaf door in painted, eared stone architrave with pulvinated frieze and dentilled pediment. Replaced sashes flanking door, 12-pane sashes on first floor and square, centre-pivoting 6-pane casements above, all with flush wedge lintels and projecting sills. Steeply-pitched roof has swept eaves and coped gables with shaped kneelers. External chimney on right return and transverse end stacks. Left return has old-brick chimney flue and top half of bullseye window re-used as lintel. Tall one-storey, 3-bay wing at right has C19 openings with sections of architrave re-used as lintels; central partly-glazed door, with 8-pane overlight, flanked by 12-pane sashes; steeply- pitched roof with swept eaves. 2-storey, 4-bay rear wing (The West Wing) has replaced door and sashes, moderately-pitched roof and ridge stacks. Interior. Right wing has 2 pairs of heavy adzed upper crucks with lifted collars and adzed purlins. First-floor gallery in right bay incorporates re-used timber. Moulded Tudor-arched fireplace with restored jambs on left gable end. Wide, probably C16 chamfered fireplace on rear of thick left gable end wall, facing into main block. Ground-floor rooms of main block have heavy boxed-in ceiling beams. C18 stone fireplace, in eared surround with egg-and- dart border, in room at left. The West Wing is included for group value. Historical note: Holywell is so named because St. Cuthbert's body is believed to have rested there c.882 on its travels with the Lindisfarne Community who were evading the Danish raids. From 1402 the Nevilles of Brancepeth Castle lodged their Constables on this site.

Listing NGR: NZ2502937328