Blenkinsop Castle

Blenkinsop Castle is a fire-damaged, partly demolished 19th century country mansion incorporating the ruinous remains of a 14th century tower house located above the Tipalt Burn approximately one mile from Greenhead, Northumberland, England (gbmapping|NY665645). It is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

History

The ancient manor of Blenkinsop was held by the eponymous Blenkinsop family from the 13th century and they created a substantial tower house. A licence to crenellate the house was granted on May 6, 1340.

An early account by Wallis, writing prior to 1769 and quoted by Rev. J. F. Hodgson, found "the west and north-west side of it protected by a very high cespititious wall and a deep foss - a vault going through it, north and south, 33 [Hodgson copying corrects this to 53] feet in length, and in breadth 18½ feet: two lesser ones on the north side. The facing on the western wall has been down beyond the memory of any person yet living."

A survey of 1541 reported the roof to be in decay and the tower not to be in good repair. The family, whilst retaining ownership, granted possession to the Earl of Northumberland and abandoned the castle for their other nearby properties at Bellister Castle and Dryburnhaugh.

In 1727 the heiress Jane Blenkinsop married William Coulson of Jesmond. By 1832 the property was in disuse, and a mine agent's house was built adjoining the ruinous structure. In about 1877 William Blenkinsop Coulson carried out a major restoration project which created a large mansion house on the site. Shortly after these works, the Coulsons sold all their Blenkinsop estates to Edward Joicey. In the 20th century the mansion served as an hotel but major damage was caused in 1954 by a fire, and large parts of the property were demolished, on safety grounds.

Today it is part home and part ruin.

Notes

References

* [http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=240717&mode=quickID=5 English Heritage;Images of England, Image and architectural description]
*Ryder, P F, "Blenkinsop Castle", Napper Collerton Partnership, May 1986
*"A History of Northumberland", Part 2, Volume 3, (1840), pp129-132
*Fry, Plantagenet Somerset, "The David & Charles Book of Castles", David & Charles, 1980. ISBN 0-7153-7976-3
* [http://www.ecastles.co.uk/philipdavis/English%20sites/2563.html The Gatehouse Gazetteer, Blenkinsop Castle]
* [http://www.sine.newcastle.ac.uk/view_structure_information.asp?struct_id=37 Structures in the North East]
* [http://www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=N6118 Keys to the Past]

External links

* [http://www.northofthetyne.co.uk/Blenkinsopp.html Images of Blenkinsopp Castle]
* [http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/4670/Blenkinsop_Castle.htm Blenkinsop Castle, photograph]