Structure Name: Featherstone Castle

Description:
 

Large two storey country house with a central courtyard and four corner towers. The parapets and west front are embattled. Of the four towers, the northeastern is the tallest, but similar in design to the southwest - L-shaped, with rounded bartizans at the corners.
 

Extant: Yes

Legal Status: Listed Building Grade I

Location: Featherstone Castle, NORTHUMBERLAND

Eastings: 367380m (view map)

Northings: 560960m (view map)

Position Accuracy: 100m

Positional Confidence: Absolute Certainty

Structure Types Identified: CASTLE, CONFERENCE CENTRE, COUNTRY HOUSE, HALL HOUSE, SCHOOL

Historical Background
 

The earliest part of Featherstone Castle is a 13th century hall, which at some point was incorporated into the west range of the castle. The large tower of the 14th century was the main addition to the building in the medieval period.

There is little known about the castle until the end of the 17th century, when it passed briefly to the Earls of Carlisle, only to be reclaimed in 1711 and then sold to James Wallace in 1789. It was his son Thomas who began the remodelling of the early 18th century, continued by the Hope-Wallaces.
 

Chronology:

• EARLY 13TH CENTURY   Hall house constructed.
      Entities Involved:
            Featherstonehaugh, Helias: Earliest recorded owner.
• EARLY 14TH CENTURY   Southwest tower built.
• 17TH CENTURY AD   Extensive remodelling in the Gothic style.
• 1812 - 1830   Castle remodelled and extended by Thomas Wallace. Windows replaced and parapets added.
      Entities Involved:
            Wallace, Thomas: Owner.
• 1844 - 1854   Further alterations by James Hope-Wallace.
      Entities Involved:
            Hope-Wallace, James: Owner of Featherstone Castle.
• 1950   The castle is sold and becomes a school.
• 1961   Castle converted again, into a residence and conference centre.

References:

• Images of England
• Keys To The Past
• Northumberland SMR
• Pevsner, N., Richmond, I., Grundy, J., McCombie, G., Ryder, P. and Welfare, H. (2001) The Buildings of England: Northumberland. London, Penguin Books, pp.278-279

The information displayed in this page has been derived from authoritative sources, including any referenced above. Although substantial efforts were made to verify this information, the SINE project cannot guarantee its correctness or completeness.

view images of this structure
view location on a map

suggestions / comments welcome
  go to the top