Blencow Hall Farmhouse And Gatehouse Wing

Blencow Hall Farmhouse and Gatehouse Wing

A fortified house of probably late 15th-century date, substantially altered in 1590 and further modified in the 20th century. The building is constructed of thick walls of large blocks of pink sandstone rubble, with towers featuring battlemented parapets and stone spouts. The hall and gatehouse wing are roofed in graduated green slate with banded red sandstone chimney stacks.

The structure comprises a 2-storey, 4-bay hall with flanking rectangular 3-storey, single-bay towers. The left tower extends to the rear as a 2-storey, 5-bay gatehouse wing, creating an overall H-shaped plan. The front wall of the hall was completely rebuilt, probably in 1590, and moved back approximately 2 metres from its original position. Part of the original front wall remains as a buttress in the return angle of the left tower, and the original roof line can be traced on this tower wall.

The hall front features 2-light stone-mullioned windows under hoodmoulds. The right tower's ground-floor windows are blocked to accommodate a 19th-century porch, and windows above are partly blocked. The right tower is thought to be the older element, possibly confirmed by an angle turret containing a newel staircase that is shared with the hall and predates its rebuilding. This turret has a stone-surround doorway and small irregular chamfered openings on four levels. The front wall continues beyond the turret as a buttress, which may be a later addition as it blocks light to the hall windows. Between this buttress and the present hall front, an upper-floor opening from the newel stair would originally have led into the hall.

The front wall also contains a small ground-floor casement window beneath a 4-light stone-mullioned window with hoodmould and large relieving arch, and on the second floor a similar 3-light window. The battlements have been partly removed in the 20th century. The right return wall and rear of the right tower contain 2- and 3-light stone-mullioned windows, some partly blocked, all under hoodmoulds. One insertion is inscribed M.H. 1918 (Howard), while some label stops are carved heads and others are inscribed H.B. (Henry Blencow). The left return wall, at the junction with the rear of the hall, has a squint window avoiding the hall.

The left tower also has a turret with a shared front wall, but without a staircase. The front wall is rent from the ground-floor window to the battlements, but the battlements are otherwise complete. The left tower turret projects on the left return wall, otherwise being common with the gatehouse wing, which has 2-light stone-mullioned windows, one with hoodmould stops inscribed H.B., and a left segmental-arched passage.

The thick rear hall wall contains a Tudor-arched doorway with a lintel inscribed in Latin and reading HENRY BLENCOW 1590, beneath an armorial panel initialled H.B. or R.B. Various stone-mullioned windows and smaller openings are present, with several earlier blocked windows. The rear wall of the gatehouse wing has Tudor-arched doorways, one initialled H.B., and external stone steps lead to a 18th-century loft doorway.

The interior of the hall contains Tudor-arched stone doorways throughout. A large 16th-century stone-arched fireplace is located in the kitchen. The present 19th-century staircase has earlier timber-framed partitions. Fireplaces and doorways are found in the towers on various levels, though both towers are now derelict without roofs and floors. The interior of the gatehouse wing contains a smaller 16th-century stone-arched fireplace.