Banqueting House About 500 Metres East And 300 Metres South Of Gibside

The Banqueting House, built in 1751 by Daniel Garrett for George Bowes, is located about 500 metres east and 300 metres south of Gibside. It was restored in 1980 by Charlewood, Curry, Wilson, and Atkinson. The building is constructed of sandstone ashlar and features a concealed roof in the Gothick style. It consists of a large room with a rear apse that faces a vista, along with projecting wings. The structure is one storey high and measures three bays by three bays.

The entrance front has a central stepped arcaded loggia with three bays supported by octagonal columns. There are niches in the rear wall and six-panel doors with deep reeded reveals located in the inner returns of the wings. The tall pointed parapet is adorned with quatrefoil and cross ornaments, while the wings feature battlemented parapets.

On the garden front, five curved steps lead to a central sash window with opening panels below, flanked by sashes in the apse and one sash on either side, all with glazing bars. A tall pierced screen wall and three stepped, crocketed, ornamented gables rise above the apse, complemented by battlemented side parapets. The windows have cusped ogee surrounds, which are also found on the niches in the returns.

Inside, the main hall runs transversely and includes mid-side apses, with the inner apse containing a fireplace and flanking niches that are ogee-headed with moulded plasterwork. Mirrors above the cable-moulded dado rail also feature similar ogee heads. The ceiling is coved, and there is a patterned plaster frieze.