Description

BRANCEPETH HOLYWELL
NZ 23 NE
(South side)
6/10 Inset Holywell Hall
16/9/75 and The West Wing
(formerly listed
as Holywell Hall)
GV II*

Large house, now 2 dwellings: early-mid C18 main block with probably C16 wing
forms Holywell Hall; C19 rear wing is now separate dwelling called The West
Wing. Coursed sandstone rubble with dressings. Graduated green slate roofs
and C19 stone chimney stacks. The West Wing has rendered walls, Welsh slate
roof and brick chimney stacks.
3-storey, 5-bay main block: roughly-squared quoins and windows grouped 2 + 1 + 2.
Central 2-leaf door in painted, eared stone architrave with pulvinated frieze
and dentilled pediment. Replaced sashes flanking door, 12-pane sashes on
first floor and square, centre-pivoting 6-pane casements above, all with flush
wedge lintels and projecting sills. Steeply-pitched roof has swept eaves and
coped gables with shaped kneelers. External chimney on right return and
transverse end stacks. Left return has old-brick chimney flue and top half
of bullseye window re-used as lintel. Tall one-storey, 3-bay wing at right
has C19 openings with sections of architrave re-used as lintels; central
partly-glazed door, with 8-pane overlight, flanked by 12-pane sashes; steeply-
pitched roof with swept eaves.
2-storey, 4-bay rear wing (The West Wing) has replaced door and sashes,
moderately-pitched roof and ridge stacks.
Interior. Right wing has 2 pairs of heavy adzed upper crucks with lifted
collars and adzed purlins. First-floor gallery in right bay incorporates
re-used timber. Moulded Tudor-arched fireplace with restored jambs on left
gable end. Wide, probably C16 chamfered fireplace on rear of thick left gable
end wall, facing into main block. Ground-floor rooms of main block have heavy
boxed-in ceiling beams. C18 stone fireplace, in eared surround with egg-and-
dart border, in room at left.
The West Wing is included for group value.
Historical note: Holywell is so named because St. Cuthbert's body is believed
to have rested there c.882 on its travels with the Lindisfarne Community who
were evading the Danish raids. From 1402 the Nevilles of Brancepeth Castle
lodged their Constables on this site.

Listing NGR: NZ2502937328

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17535969

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets