Chipchase Castle (Chollerton)
[NY 88247573] Chipchase Castle (Remains of). (1)
Chipchase Castle is a combination of a large mid 14th century tower, with a Jacobean mansion, added independently in 1621, and Georgian alterations in 1784. The tower was in existence in 1415 but no more is known for certain of its date. (2)
The building is in good condition although much restored and is in use as a private residence.
See photos AO/56/32/4-5. (3)
Condition unchanged. (4)
Chipchase Castle
GV Grade I listed building.
Country house, 14th century, 1621 and 18th century. Minor alterations in 19th century. Work of 1621 for Cuthbert Heron. Also work by John Dodds and John Dobson for Reed family. Earlier work done for Herons and Allgoods. Random rubble, dressed stone and ashlar in different sections. Stone and Welsh slate roofs. Tower with later additions, now forming courtyard house.
Entrance front of 1621 E-shaped: three storeys, seven bays. Doorway, in three-storey centrepiece, has moulded jambs, imposts and round arch framed by carved panels and flanked by half-fluted Ionic columns on bases with strapwork and emblems of Heron family. Frieze with blank arches, dentilled cornice and obelisks above columns with Heron coat of arms between. Canted mullioned-and-transomed bay windows above. Parapet with ornamental cresting and beasts with shields. Two-bay recessed sections have mid-18th century 12-pane sashes in raised surrounds. Basement has two-light mullioned windows. Projecting outer bays have two-storey mullioned-and-transomed bow windows, shown with sashes in 1784. They have embattled parapets and beasts with shields. 12-pane sashes on second floor. String course above each floor and embattled top parapet with round arches surmounted by beasts above outer bays and diagonally-set octagonal chimneys above each corner. Hipped roof.
Left return has mid-14th century tower on left. Dressed stone. Four storeys with bartizans and machicolations on corbels. Given classical detail to unify facade in mid 18th century. Three storeys, nine bays, 2:5:2. Recessed five-bay centre has steps up to Roman Doric doorcase. 12-pane sashes in moulded surrounds. String course above each floor. Embattled parapet.
Right return and rear of house mid 18th century with older masonry behind. Two storeys. Two pedimented doorways and sashes with glazing bars. Rear of tower, has 14th century blocked two-light window with cusped ogee heads; also two corbelled garderobe chutes. Early 19th century single-storey service wing attached to north-west corner.
Interior of tower has vaulted basement, stone newel stair and original portcullis. Elsewhere several mid-18th century plaster ceilings, especially Music room which has Rococo detail. Elaborate Jacobean overmantel, also in Music room. Palladian doorcases with eared architraves and pulvinated friezes.
Wall and gate piers c100 yards east of Chipchase Castle, Grade II. Entrance screen walls and gate piers. C18. Ashlar. Convex quadrant walls with slightly ridged coping. Taller gate piers with banded rustication, cornices and pedimented caps.
Gate piers c100 yards north of Chipchase Castle, Grade II. Gate piers. Probably late C17. Ashlar. Decorated with chequered
blocks of rustication carved in imitation of shell forms. Each pier
has one stone head between the blocks and more may have been chiselled off.
Greek key friezes and cornices. Large acorn finials on bases of 2 square and one round blocks.
Boat House c600 yards south of Chipchase Castle, Grade II.
Cottage. Late C18. Roughly-dressed stone with Welsh slate roof. Gothick style. 2 storeys. Entrance side has boarded door and square window on ground floor; blocked door and blind segmental-arched recess on 1st floor. Left return has 2 tall blocked pointed-arched windows with roundel over. Shaped gable rising to rectangular stone chimney. Right return has one large blind pointed recess. similar gable and chimney, but chimney has cruciform recess and edges of gable have pyramid finials. One similar finial also remains on chimney. Empty and derelict at time of survey. (5)
See aerial photograph A/084329/27 (N McCord). (6)
Chipchase Tower ('castle'). Well-built, 14th century. Measures 51ft 6ins north-south by 34ft x 50ft to parapet walk, plus 10ft extra to top of angle-turrets. Corbelled and machicolated battlements. Ground floor vaulted. Original door on ground floor on east side - site of later mansion. Trap door in roof of vault at north end. Traces of medieval work in courtyard may be the remains of an earlier manor house. (7)
Chipchase Castle - two buildings in one: one of the grandest and most sophisticated pele towers; and an ambitious Jacobean country house. Has 18th and 19th century alterations.
Tower existed by 1415. Comparable with Belsay Castle [NZ 07 NE 6] - same mason's marks at both. Four storeys, with corbelled out circular bartizans at right angles and corbelled machicolation between. Entrance has a timber portcullis - rare feature.
In 1541, a stone house is recorded adjoining the tower - represented by the range running east from the tower. At the far end of this is the Jacobean house, dated 1621 - most coherent piece of Jacobean design in Northumberland. Three-storeys, E-shaped, central porch. Interior remodelled in 18th century, no Jacobean details remain.
Chapel to east of house, probably c.1740. Interior fittings complete. (8)
NY 8823 7573. Chipchase Tower. Scheduled RSM No 20941.
An exceptionally well preserved tower house, widely regarded as one of the best preserved in Northumberland. It dates from the mid-14th century and is partly restored. The early 17th century manor house known as Chipchase Castle was added to the E side of the tower and an early 19th century range added to its NE corner. Neither of these additions is included in the Scheduling. The tower is rectangular in shape and rises three storeys above a vaulted basement with a watch tower attached to each corner joined by a parapet walk. Externally the tower measures 15.7m N-S by 10.4m E-W and stands 15.5m high to the top of the turrets. (9)
A programme of fabric recording was carried out by Tyne and Wear Museums in 1999. It is part of a wider scheme of remedial works associated with weathering to the upper levels of masonry. (10)
Listed Building entry added. (11)
Fragments of Gothic wall paintings in third floor chambers, probably now destroyed. (12)
Listed by Cathcart King and Dodds. (13a-b)
Chipchase Castle is a combination of a large mid 14th century tower, with a Jacobean mansion, added independently in 1621, and Georgian alterations in 1784. The tower was in existence in 1415 but no more is known for certain of its date. (2)
The building is in good condition although much restored and is in use as a private residence.
See photos AO/56/32/4-5. (3)
Condition unchanged. (4)
Chipchase Castle
GV Grade I listed building.
Country house, 14th century, 1621 and 18th century. Minor alterations in 19th century. Work of 1621 for Cuthbert Heron. Also work by John Dodds and John Dobson for Reed family. Earlier work done for Herons and Allgoods. Random rubble, dressed stone and ashlar in different sections. Stone and Welsh slate roofs. Tower with later additions, now forming courtyard house.
Entrance front of 1621 E-shaped: three storeys, seven bays. Doorway, in three-storey centrepiece, has moulded jambs, imposts and round arch framed by carved panels and flanked by half-fluted Ionic columns on bases with strapwork and emblems of Heron family. Frieze with blank arches, dentilled cornice and obelisks above columns with Heron coat of arms between. Canted mullioned-and-transomed bay windows above. Parapet with ornamental cresting and beasts with shields. Two-bay recessed sections have mid-18th century 12-pane sashes in raised surrounds. Basement has two-light mullioned windows. Projecting outer bays have two-storey mullioned-and-transomed bow windows, shown with sashes in 1784. They have embattled parapets and beasts with shields. 12-pane sashes on second floor. String course above each floor and embattled top parapet with round arches surmounted by beasts above outer bays and diagonally-set octagonal chimneys above each corner. Hipped roof.
Left return has mid-14th century tower on left. Dressed stone. Four storeys with bartizans and machicolations on corbels. Given classical detail to unify facade in mid 18th century. Three storeys, nine bays, 2:5:2. Recessed five-bay centre has steps up to Roman Doric doorcase. 12-pane sashes in moulded surrounds. String course above each floor. Embattled parapet.
Right return and rear of house mid 18th century with older masonry behind. Two storeys. Two pedimented doorways and sashes with glazing bars. Rear of tower, has 14th century blocked two-light window with cusped ogee heads; also two corbelled garderobe chutes. Early 19th century single-storey service wing attached to north-west corner.
Interior of tower has vaulted basement, stone newel stair and original portcullis. Elsewhere several mid-18th century plaster ceilings, especially Music room which has Rococo detail. Elaborate Jacobean overmantel, also in Music room. Palladian doorcases with eared architraves and pulvinated friezes.
Wall and gate piers c100 yards east of Chipchase Castle, Grade II. Entrance screen walls and gate piers. C18. Ashlar. Convex quadrant walls with slightly ridged coping. Taller gate piers with banded rustication, cornices and pedimented caps.
Gate piers c100 yards north of Chipchase Castle, Grade II. Gate piers. Probably late C17. Ashlar. Decorated with chequered
blocks of rustication carved in imitation of shell forms. Each pier
has one stone head between the blocks and more may have been chiselled off.
Greek key friezes and cornices. Large acorn finials on bases of 2 square and one round blocks.
Boat House c600 yards south of Chipchase Castle, Grade II.
Cottage. Late C18. Roughly-dressed stone with Welsh slate roof. Gothick style. 2 storeys. Entrance side has boarded door and square window on ground floor; blocked door and blind segmental-arched recess on 1st floor. Left return has 2 tall blocked pointed-arched windows with roundel over. Shaped gable rising to rectangular stone chimney. Right return has one large blind pointed recess. similar gable and chimney, but chimney has cruciform recess and edges of gable have pyramid finials. One similar finial also remains on chimney. Empty and derelict at time of survey. (5)
See aerial photograph A/084329/27 (N McCord). (6)
Chipchase Tower ('castle'). Well-built, 14th century. Measures 51ft 6ins north-south by 34ft x 50ft to parapet walk, plus 10ft extra to top of angle-turrets. Corbelled and machicolated battlements. Ground floor vaulted. Original door on ground floor on east side - site of later mansion. Trap door in roof of vault at north end. Traces of medieval work in courtyard may be the remains of an earlier manor house. (7)
Chipchase Castle - two buildings in one: one of the grandest and most sophisticated pele towers; and an ambitious Jacobean country house. Has 18th and 19th century alterations.
Tower existed by 1415. Comparable with Belsay Castle [NZ 07 NE 6] - same mason's marks at both. Four storeys, with corbelled out circular bartizans at right angles and corbelled machicolation between. Entrance has a timber portcullis - rare feature.
In 1541, a stone house is recorded adjoining the tower - represented by the range running east from the tower. At the far end of this is the Jacobean house, dated 1621 - most coherent piece of Jacobean design in Northumberland. Three-storeys, E-shaped, central porch. Interior remodelled in 18th century, no Jacobean details remain.
Chapel to east of house, probably c.1740. Interior fittings complete. (8)
NY 8823 7573. Chipchase Tower. Scheduled RSM No 20941.
An exceptionally well preserved tower house, widely regarded as one of the best preserved in Northumberland. It dates from the mid-14th century and is partly restored. The early 17th century manor house known as Chipchase Castle was added to the E side of the tower and an early 19th century range added to its NE corner. Neither of these additions is included in the Scheduling. The tower is rectangular in shape and rises three storeys above a vaulted basement with a watch tower attached to each corner joined by a parapet walk. Externally the tower measures 15.7m N-S by 10.4m E-W and stands 15.5m high to the top of the turrets. (9)
A programme of fabric recording was carried out by Tyne and Wear Museums in 1999. It is part of a wider scheme of remedial works associated with weathering to the upper levels of masonry. (10)
Listed Building entry added. (11)
Fragments of Gothic wall paintings in third floor chambers, probably now destroyed. (12)
Listed by Cathcart King and Dodds. (13a-b)
N7768
EXCAVATION, Excavation at Chipchase Castle 1909
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1965; R Lewis
PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY, Towers and Bastles in Northumberland 1995; P RYDER
THEMATIC SURVEY, Towers and Bastles in Northumberland 1995; P RYDER
BUILDING SURVEY, Chipchase Pele 1999; TYNE AND WEAR MUSEUMS
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY, Hadrian's Wall Landscape from Chesters to Greenhead 1999; T GATES
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1965; R Lewis
PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY, Towers and Bastles in Northumberland 1995; P RYDER
THEMATIC SURVEY, Towers and Bastles in Northumberland 1995; P RYDER
BUILDING SURVEY, Chipchase Pele 1999; TYNE AND WEAR MUSEUMS
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY, Hadrian's Wall Landscape from Chesters to Greenhead 1999; T GATES
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.