Thorngate House And Attached Railings

Thorngate House is a mid-18th century house with alterations from around 1796, located in Barnard Castle. It was modified for Sir John Hullock to accommodate fellow judges on the circuit. The building is constructed of coursed squared sandstone with an ashlar plinth, quoins, and tooled dressings, while the left return and rear are made of rubble, featuring an ashlar extension at the back. The roof is covered with stone slates and has stone gable copings and ashlar chimneys.

The house has a basement and three storeys, presenting a symmetrical five-window facade. There are paired side steps leading up to a central eight-panel door, which is framed by a pedimented architrave supported by scroll brackets and a pulvinated frieze. The windows feature early 19th-century glazing bars in architraves, with sill bands on the ground and first floors. The eaves have a cornice, and the roof is capped with a parapet. The building has rusticated quoins and tall end chimneys with plinths and cornices.

In front of the basement, there are spike-headed railings that rise up the steps to the entrance. The rear elevation includes a bowed ashlar extension that projects forward on the left, along with an extruded porch that has a door and sidelights. The sashes have plain stone surrounds with glazing bars, and there is a tripartite sash above the porch and on alternate floors in the bowed wing.

Inside, the house features good early 19th-century doors, architraves, and cornices, along with some earlier dado rails and doors. The staircase has been altered but retains two turned balusters per tread, and window shutters are visible on most windows. A plaque on the front of the building notes its ownership by Sir John Hullock, a judge, and his improvements made to entertain fellow judges.