Brawith Hall

Brawith Hall is a large house, largely dating from the early 18th century, with later alterations and additions, including a rear range from the later 19th century built on the site of a former medieval manor. The house is constructed of red and pale brown brick in Flemish bond, with sandstone ashlar dressings. It features a hipped, graduated Westmorland slate roof concealed by a parapet, and brick stacks. The building is two storeys high with a high parapet.

The south front is of red brick, with five bays arranged in a 1-3-1 giant pilaster arrangement on an ashlar plinth. A three-step approach leads to the central entrance, which has a part-glazed door within an eaved architrave, with consoles supporting a pediment featuring a pulvinated frieze. Tall, narrow sash windows with glazing bars are set within ashlar architraves, with coved lintels and chamfered sills. A chamfered band runs along the first floor. A window in the entrance bay is surrounded by a channelled surround. The building has a cyma moulded cornice with a pulvinated frieze to the first floor, and a further cornice to the parapet.

The east and west facades are of pale brown brick with a red brick parapet and ashlar dressing. They have four bays, with sashes and glazing bars set under gauged red brick flat arches. Two bays of the east facade were rebuilt in the 20th century.

Inside, the staircase hall contains a cantilevered cut-string staircase with three different types of baluster per tread—bulb and gadroon—a ramped moulded handrail with a Greek key motif, a spiral curtail, and a turned newel with a volute. A panelled dado follows the line of the stair. The ground floor features a dentilled cornice. The first floor has a dome flanked by oblong panels and a modillion cornice. Early 18th-century decorative schemes are found in the south-east and south-west rooms. The south-west room has eared panelling above a dado and a dentil and modillion cornice. Sashes are housed in projecting wave-moulded cases with cornices and shutters. Two six-panel doors flank a chimney piece, and a further door leads to the north-west room featuring panelled soffits within architraves with a Greek key motif, surmounted by dentil and modillion pediments with pulvinated bay-leaf friezes. A marble fireplace with an overmantel is flanked by Corinthian pilasters. The north-west room contains later decoration, including good foliate carving.

Brawith Hall was held by the Danby family during the first half of the 17th century. Following the Civil War, in 1656, it passed to Edmund Barstow of Northallerton, a member of the same family. It was purchased in 1702 by Mrs Peacock, also of the same family, and has remained within the family, descending to its present owners.