Shawdon Hall

HEDGELEY SHAWDON NU 01 SE 8/245 Shawdon Hall GV II*

Country House. Dated 1779 on rainwater heads, possibly by William Newton, for William Hargrave. Rear wing truncated 1970. Main block tooled ashlar with Lakeland slate roof; rear wing squared stone with Welsh slate roof.

South front 2 storeys, 2 + 3 + 2 bays: plinth, sill and 1st floor bands, dentil eaves cornice. 3-bay centre has giant pilasters with palmette capitals, fluted frieze with paterae, and pediment enclosing 1817 wood carving of Pawson arms and mantling. 6 steps up to central Venetian doorway with half-glazed door and plain fanlight, fluted frieze and archivolt, under round arch. Plate-glass sash windows. Hipped roof with 2 stepped-and-corniced ridge stacks.

5-bay left return shows similar detail; central open pediment, with floating cornice over 1st floor window beneath. Plainer 4-bay right return has similar fenestration in right bays but only 1st floor blind windows on left; 5-bay right rear wing with central 6-panel door and latticed overlight in plain porch; 4-pane sash windows. Rear elevation shows 20-pane sash stair window with radial head; rear (west) elevation of wing shows projecting 3-bay section with pediment.

Interior: Entrance hall has mahogany doors with carved fielded panels; fluted dentil frieze and overdoors. Dining room has carved black-and-white marble fireplace from Close House, Wylam, dado rail, long enriched panels; fluted frieze with paterae, and matching overdoors. Sitting room has white marble fireplace,with coloured inlaid medallions, and palmette frieze. Lower and upper stair halls both have arches with fluted archivolts on imposts with paterae; band of fluting at landing level, panelling, anthemion top cornice. Open-well stair with stick balusters, moulded wreathed and ramped handrail and curtail step. Bedrooms have dado rails and moulded cornices. Doorway to servants' stair has fluted archivolt and radial overlight. One lavatory of c.1880; panelled cistern with glazed floral tiles.

C. Hussey, 'Shawdon Hall, Northumberland', Country Life Mar. 5 1959, 460-463.

Listing NGR: NU0926814319