Swarland Old Hall (Newton-on-the-Moor and Swarland)
[NU 15970193] Old Hall (Remains of). (1)
The mansion house of the Heselriggs is of the 17th century. The door and window openings have curious architraves and twisted pillars, and the roof is covered with grey, sandstone flags. (2)
Description in authority (2) correct except that the roof is of pantiles. The building has two stories and an attic and is constructed of coursed ashlar. The architectural features of the main south face include semi-circular pediments over the windows and a doorway, apparently rebuilt, with a classical entablature. The east wall has been rebuilt in mock-Gothic style with battlements. Rebuilt into this east wall is a head-moulded panel inscribed 'D H' and a heraldic shield. The lower part of the panel is obscured by a stringer course but the occupier of the house states that it bears the date '1688'. This could not be confirmed but the architecture is of the period. If the date is correct then an earlier building probably existed here, for nearby is buried a William Hasilrig who died in 1681 and was no doubt the ancestor of the person whose initials are inscribed on the panel. The projecting north wing has a mullioned window in its north wall and similar gable corbels to the main block and appears to be of contemporary date. The building is in good condition and in use as a residence. (3)
Condition unchanged. (4)
Parts of the fabric of Swarland Old Hall appear to be of an early date with wall thicknesses that might justify the inclusion of the house as a defensible building.
The Old Hall has a south front of four narrow bays and two storeys, with a single storeyed pent outshut at each end and a shorter parallel two storeyed wing to the rear. The fabric is complex and has never been examined in detail. Despite the links to Trollope's Capheaton work (NZ 08 SW 2) of c.1668, the front door has a worn date of '173_' in its frieze. A straight joint close to the east end of the south front shows that the east end wall of the main block is earlier than the remainder of the front. The front (south) wall of the eastern outshut is also an addition to this wall, but the rear wall of the outshut predates it, as is demonstrated by the outshut wall having the jamb of a former doorway at the point at which it now abuts the main block.
The upper part of the east wall of the house (spanning both main block and rear range) was remodelled in the late 18th century as a Gothick screen wall with three big arched recesses and a stepped crenellated parapet. Reset at the base of this remodelled section, just to the north of the outshut, is the head of what was probably a square headed window, with a moulded surround and some remains of raised lettering of 16th century character.
The west end of the house has twin gables, that of the rear range set back. Both gables have coping of late 17th or early 18th century character, but that of the rear range has large triangular 'spandrel stones', apparently earlier, beneath the present coping.
Internally, a number of the walls of the building are around 0.9m thick. Both front and rear ranges have roofs with upper cruck roof trusses. (5)
The rear wing west wall, 0.4 metres thick, may have been part of a 16th or early 17th century strong house. The date of remodelling is puzzling as the house is ascribed to Robert Trollope but the doorhead date is half a century after his death. Perhaps the doorhead date refers to change of ownership? (6)
Additional Reference (7)
The mansion house of the Heselriggs is of the 17th century. The door and window openings have curious architraves and twisted pillars, and the roof is covered with grey, sandstone flags. (2)
Description in authority (2) correct except that the roof is of pantiles. The building has two stories and an attic and is constructed of coursed ashlar. The architectural features of the main south face include semi-circular pediments over the windows and a doorway, apparently rebuilt, with a classical entablature. The east wall has been rebuilt in mock-Gothic style with battlements. Rebuilt into this east wall is a head-moulded panel inscribed 'D H' and a heraldic shield. The lower part of the panel is obscured by a stringer course but the occupier of the house states that it bears the date '1688'. This could not be confirmed but the architecture is of the period. If the date is correct then an earlier building probably existed here, for nearby is buried a William Hasilrig who died in 1681 and was no doubt the ancestor of the person whose initials are inscribed on the panel. The projecting north wing has a mullioned window in its north wall and similar gable corbels to the main block and appears to be of contemporary date. The building is in good condition and in use as a residence. (3)
Condition unchanged. (4)
Parts of the fabric of Swarland Old Hall appear to be of an early date with wall thicknesses that might justify the inclusion of the house as a defensible building.
The Old Hall has a south front of four narrow bays and two storeys, with a single storeyed pent outshut at each end and a shorter parallel two storeyed wing to the rear. The fabric is complex and has never been examined in detail. Despite the links to Trollope's Capheaton work (NZ 08 SW 2) of c.1668, the front door has a worn date of '173_' in its frieze. A straight joint close to the east end of the south front shows that the east end wall of the main block is earlier than the remainder of the front. The front (south) wall of the eastern outshut is also an addition to this wall, but the rear wall of the outshut predates it, as is demonstrated by the outshut wall having the jamb of a former doorway at the point at which it now abuts the main block.
The upper part of the east wall of the house (spanning both main block and rear range) was remodelled in the late 18th century as a Gothick screen wall with three big arched recesses and a stepped crenellated parapet. Reset at the base of this remodelled section, just to the north of the outshut, is the head of what was probably a square headed window, with a moulded surround and some remains of raised lettering of 16th century character.
The west end of the house has twin gables, that of the rear range set back. Both gables have coping of late 17th or early 18th century character, but that of the rear range has large triangular 'spandrel stones', apparently earlier, beneath the present coping.
Internally, a number of the walls of the building are around 0.9m thick. Both front and rear ranges have roofs with upper cruck roof trusses. (5)
The rear wing west wall, 0.4 metres thick, may have been part of a 16th or early 17th century strong house. The date of remodelling is puzzling as the house is ascribed to Robert Trollope but the doorhead date is half a century after his death. Perhaps the doorhead date refers to change of ownership? (6)
Additional Reference (7)
N4330
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1957; E Geary
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1971; D Smith
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1971; D Smith
Disclaimer -
Please note that this information has been compiled from a number of different sources. Durham County Council and Northumberland County Council can accept no responsibility for any inaccuracy contained therein. If you wish to use/copy any of the images, please ensure that you read the Copyright information provided.