Banishing the damp from Grade I-listed Belsay Hall in Northumberland

By Jim Sales Account Executive

A large historic stone building with columns stands amidst expansive gardens and a circular driveway, surrounded by a low stone wall.

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Completion of conservation project revives historic castle and gardens

Two centuries of leaking roofs and damp at Belsay Hall and Castle, in Northumberland, have come to an end thanks to a £3.4 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, alongside support from Garfield Weston Foundation and The Foyle Foundation.

It was a two-year conservation and revival project of the Grade I-listed country house, which was built between 1810 and 1817, and was the residence of the Middleton family until 1962. While they still own the wider estate today, it is administered by English Heritage.

A large stone building with columns overlooks a garden filled with various plants and flowers on a cloudy day.

Designed by Sir Charles Monck after a honeymoon taking in the classical sites of Greece, the building, based on the Temple of Hephaestus in Athens, had serious leaks and damp issues.

Mark Douglas, English Heritage’s Properties Curator, explained: “Belsay Hall’s concealed gutters proved to be its downfall; Monck hadn’t accounted for Northumberland’s harsh winters, so it has been such a relief to finally banish the damp and safeguard Belsay for future generations.”

The property has now reopened, so visitors can admire the Grecian architecture, medieval castle and 30-acre gardens.

The castle was built as a refuge at a time of Anglo-Scottish conflict, but it was also designed to impress with a maze of rooms and elaborate medieval wall paintings.

A walk up 56 spiral steps is rewarded by a view from the top of the 14th-century defensive ‘pele tower’.

The renovation project was one of the largest of its kind in Northumberland’s recent history, with Historic Property Restoration working as the main contractor overseeing structural repairs to the Main Hall and North Wing roofs, followed by the complete re-roofing in traditional slate and leadwork. The Coach House was underpinned and sympathetically converted into a new café.

Grade I-listed gardens

More than 80,000 new plants have been added to the 30-acre gardens by multi-RHS Chelsea Gold Medal-winning landscape and garden designer Dan Pearson. The overgrown Hall woodland garden has also been cleared to reveal the lost historic views on Crag Wood’s scenic walk.

John Watkins, English Heritage’s Head of Gardens and Landscapes, said: “We have rejuvenated the more formal gardens and Hall woodland garden.

“Dan’s plantsmanship and painterly eye have helped to bring out the individual character of the extensive garden areas which will provide beauty and interest throughout the year.”

A person wearing a beige shirt prunes large green leaves of a plant in a dense garden with tall foliage.

Two people cleaning stand on an ornate balcony with columns inside a large, well-lit building with a skylight.

Does anything make a difference?

The formal Yew Garden and Magnolia Terrace have also been revived while the Quarry Garden, also inspired by Sir Charles Monck’s travels, has its own microclimate in which many exotic plants survive. This romantic fantasy of ravines, pinnacles and 30ft sheer rock faces are planted with exotic trees and shrubs while the rocks drip with ferns and mosses.

Opening times and prices: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/belsay-hall-castle-and-gardens/prices-and-opening-times/

When you own a listed home, regular maintenance and upkeep is essential, from preventing home dampness and mould, to making sure your home weathers winter, small regular updates and fixes can prevent bigger problems arising in the future.

Larger scale historic restorations are also a great way to ensure your home’s longevity.

When undertaking any work on your listed home, it’s essential to check you’re covered by your listed home insurance. Speaking to your insurance broker will help you understand if you are and, if not, they’ll be able to advise you of any further policies you may need.

At Abode, we’ve been insuring listed properties for over 20 years and have extensive experience managing insurance arrangements for restorations and renovations to historic buildings.tel:01622 476 433 To speak to a specialist adviser for advice, or to arrange cover, you can call the team on 01622 476 433. Alternatively, you can arrange a call back time and date to suit you here.

(Image credit: English Heritage)

Banishing the damp from Grade I-listed Belsay Hall in Northumberland

Completion of conservation project revives historic castle and gardens

Grade I-listed gardens

Does anything make a difference?

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