Carham Hall and outbuildings, Carham, Northumberland

Summary

Country house, mid-C19 for Richard Hodgson Huntley, extended and altered in about 1920 to designs of James Bow Dunn. Tudor Revival style with some Jacobethan details.

Description

Country house, mid-C19 for Richard Hodgson-Huntley, extended and altered in about 1920 to designs of James Bow Dunn. Tudor Revival style with some Jacobethan details.

MATERIALS: the hall is of close-jointed, coursed buff sandstone with a variety of hammer-dressed finishes, and has local pink sandstone ashlar dressings; the roof is of Westmorland slate. The outbuildings are of random sandstone with Welsh slate roofs and ashlar dressings.

PLAN: a linear building situated on the south bank of the River Tweed facing south across the park, with an original main south entrance, and a secondary main north entrance. It comprises a double-depth east range with a spinal corridor separating living accommodation to the south and service areas to the north. An attached west range now extends northwards into the rear coach house. To the rear is a service court including former stables, barn, coach house and laundry, entered through a main north entrance. A detached kennels building lies outside to the west.

EXTERIOR: the house has an eaves cornice and stone finials to the gabled sections. Windows are mostly stone mullions or mullion and transoms within stone surrounds with integral lintels and sills. Roofs are pitched with kneelers, ridge copings and multiple tall corniced ridge stacks. The mid-C19 part also has a continuous moulded stone band. Window frames are timber to the mid-C19 part and metal-framed to the west wing.

The main (south) elevation can be divided into four irregular sections for ease of description, each of two stories plus attics. The most easterly three sections comprise the mid-C19 phase and the most westerly section comprises the early-1920s phase. The easternmost section has a projecting, gabled double-height canted bay window of five lights; the gabled section is chamfered and bears a stone crest. The second section to the left has a Tudor-arched entrance with an overlight, and a projecting gabled bay with double-height bay windows, and an attic window within an elaborate stone surround. The third section has a projecting, gabled double-height central bay with four-light windows to each floor and a stone crest to the apex. The fourth and most westerly section has an end gabled bay with metal-framed four-light windows to each floor, and to the right are three bays with half dormers with ornately carved shaped gables; the most easterly of these is a three-light oriel window; decorative carving is in the form of floral motifs and floral plaques. The right return has a ground floor cross window, a pair of first floor single-light windows with hood moulds, and an attic light to the apex. Attached to its rear is a quoined, two-story tower with a pyramidal roof and bracketed eaves; it has a cross window to the ground floor and a two-light first-floor window with a drip mould. The matching tower to the original west return of the hall is now incorporated into the 1920s wing, but is still visible at the rear. The gabled west return of the house has an end chimney stack, and a single-storey flat-roofed porch. The rear (north) elevation of the mid-C19 build has triple gabled bays with a projecting porch with segmental-headed entrance and stone drip mould, a canted staircase bay with tall three-light stair window, and an oriel window. This build merges into the 1920 reconstruction with an eastern projecting service range that incorporates the tower of the original west return of the hall, and whose four-bay west end is plain with regular fenestration, gabled half dormers, and ground floor service doors.

INTERIOR: the entrance hall has early-C20 panelling throughout, probably incorporating early-C18 panels. It has a fireplace with a bolection-moulded surround with fluted pilasters framing a central inset panel above. The coffered plaster ceiling has chamfered circular motifs. There are wide, arched openings to east and west, the latter leading to the impressive principal staircase, which has a decorative plaster Jacobean-style soffit, ornate splat balusters, and square newel posts with decorative finials and handrail. The drawing room is designed in an Adam style with plaster panelled walls (much of the panelling now - 2022 - removed) and a finely detailed plaster cornice and ceiling incorporating bird, flower, leaf and fruit motifs; a small section has collapsed onto the floor. The Adam-style fireplace retains a plaster panel above and a bell push to either side. Ornate door cases retain good quality three-panelled doors. A second reception room (probably the library) has a picture rail and a modillioned cornice; the former firplace and skirtings have been removed. The south hall has a segmental-headed external door, and a similar opposing opening from the rear hall with ornately carved timber engaged columns. The room has a finely detailed moulded plaster cornice and is lined throughout with what is considered to be re-used early-C18 panelling; this incorporates a four-centre arched fireplace with bell pushes to either side. The dining room has reused C16 panelling throughout (except for a short part of the south wall), including linenfold panelling of two different patterns, and some early-C20 linenfold. The stone, four-centre arched fireplace has a highly ornate timber overmantel that is also a mixture of C16 and early-C20 work; it is in the form of a pair of cupboard doors complete with mock wooden hinges, and decorative motifs including beasts and heads. Two of the room's doors also have old linenfold panels, one carved with C16 medallion portrait panels. There is a high-relief plaster frieze with festoons and pilasters, and a Jacobean-style ceiling with geometric patterns of plaster ribs decorated with fruit, flowers leaves, and plaster drops. The early-C20 west wing has three further rooms, opening off a rear corridor, with picture rails and moulded cornices. The rooms have inserted en-suites, but retain original five-panel doors, and two have timber fireplaces. Early-C20 plaster detail includes friezes, moulded and modillioned cornices, and in the westernmost room a coffered ceiling with decorative detail. The rear projecting range, converted from the former detached coach house, contains C21 bedrooms and en-suites.

To the first floor there are inserted en-suite bathrooms throughout, and fireplaces have been removed. Bedrooms and corridors to the west wing have five panel doors, plain plaster friezes and simple moulded cornices. Bedrooms to the east wing retain unusual plaster cornices with modillions in the form of guttae alternating with borders of flowers and leaves. Entrances have panelled jambs and the spinal corridor has plaster cornices and pointed arched openings. The first-floor principal stair hall has an ornate plaster cornice, and a ceiling decorated with blue and white plaster plaques depicting the signs of the zodiac. A back stair with stick balusters and a ramped handrail rises to a partial second floor forming a corridor with several rooms off, comprising former servants’ rooms; an electric bell indication board is affixed to the landing. Rooms are plain, small and some have coved ceilings. Fireplaces have been removed, and there are two cast-iron hob grates remaining. Similar plain rooms occupy a partial third floor. We understand that there is a king post roof structure. The cellar (also with bell board) is divided into several rooms for storage and other functions, including a vaulted wine cellar, larder and probable butler's room. One of the rooms has a boarded dado and a stone four-centred arched fireplace.

SUBSIDIARY ITEMS: attached to the north elevation is an enclosed service or stable yard accessed from the north by a wide four-centred arch flanked by tall stone piers with pyramidal caps. Various former stone service buildings with slate roofs and some with prominent kneelers and finials are ranged around this. On the west side is a large two-storey coach house and stable with a gabled rear wing; it has a hipped roof and a projecting central bay with an arched coach opening, flanked by double full-height openings. It is now linked to the main hall by a timber-framed raised walkway. On the north side is a three-bay single-storey building thought to be a former barn, with a pitched roof and projecting two-storey central bay with a pitching door with drip mould. On the east side there is a an elevated service court with a single-storey, L-shaped range (laundry and fuel stores) to its north and east sides. This has a three-sided north end, a pitched roof with prominent louvre ridge vents, and a continuous porch. Outside to the west is a detached, single storey former dog kennel building; it has pitched roofs, a mounting block to the gabled end bay and three dog cages attached to the south end.

History

There has been speculation as to whether a medieval tower stood on the site of Carham Hall, but there is no firm evidence that this was the case. The estate was purchased in 1745 by Anthony Compton who probably built the three-storey classical house that features in an 1819 engraving by J P Neale. In about 1790 Richard Hodgson of Carham Hall designed the nearby parish church. Carham Hall is depicted on successive county maps of Northumberland (Armstrong (1769), Fryer (1820) and Greenwood (1828)), and in more detail on the Tithe Map of 1843, which also depicts outbuildings in a rear court. After the estate passed to Richard Hodgson Huntley (1812-1877) Carham Hall was rebuilt in its present Tudor Revival form; the architect is not known. While there are conflicting accounts of its exact date of construction, Ordnance Survey (OS) maps are clear that it was built between 1843 and 1860. It is possible that parts of the earlier house and an outbuilding might have been incorporated within this mid-C19 rebuilding. Richard Hodgson-Huntley was Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed, and later for Tynemouth and North Shields. He was also a railway promoter and a director of the North British Railway, and was appointed High Sherriff of Northumberland in 1877. His reputation became tarnished somewhat when he resigned from the former for financial impropriety. It has been suggested that further additions were made to the hall in about 1870, but it is unclear what these included, and the OS map revision of 1898 essentially depicts the same footprint as that published in 1862, with only minor modifications.

The Scottish architect James Bow Dunn was employed at Carham Hall around about 1913 to 1914, although the purpose of this commission is unclear. In about 1920 a new west wing was constructed to designs of James Bow Dunn when the hall was purchased by the Cayley family. Alterations and additions at the same time included a north porch, stair and stair hall and the installation of much re-used C16 and C17 panelling. Between 1898 and 1920 an elevated service court was added to the rear, and the mid-C19 coach house received a rear stable extension. A pair of bell boards in the servant areas, probably post-dating the 1920 extension, show that the hall comprised ten bedrooms and seven bathrooms, work room, dining room, drawing room, library, school room, business room, a servant’s hall, main hall and stair hall. In 1939 Carham Hall was purchased by Lady Straker-Smith, and we understand that various internal alterations were made. Between 2008 and 2020 the building operated as a residential care home and saw internal alterations including the insertion of en-suite bathrooms to the west wing and the first floor of the east wing, the insertion of a lift, asbestos fire protection (some of which has been removed) and some fire doors. The former detached rear coach house was also integrated into the main hall by the addition of a narrow link, and its upper floor converted to bedrooms. Since 2020 some soft stripping has taken place including the removal of most radiators and all first and second floor fireplaces.

James Bow Dunn (1861-1930) was a significant Scottish architect, articled in 1876 to James Campbell Walker. He travelled in Europe, and around 1885 began working at Edinburgh in the Burgh Engineer's Department. In 1887 he began a private practice and from 1894 to 1903 was in partnership with James Finlay. He was admitted FRIBA in 1905. The earlier part of his career was based firmly on Edinburgh and Scottish commissions; many have been listed and the Grade A listed offices and print works of The Scotsman in Edinburgh (1899-1902; listed building reference LB30143) is considered outstanding. Dunn later established an office in Northumberland and began to specialise in country houses. He is an accomplished and well-regarded architect.

Reasons for Listing

Carham Hall, mid-C19 for Richard Hodgson-Huntley, extended about 1920 to designs of James Bow Dunn, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* a good example of an evolved English country house, which compares favourably to numerous other Grade II listed country houses in England;
* its Tudor Revival design is enlivened by pointed and shaped gables, mullioned windows and multiple tall chimney stacks, which combine to produce a handsome principal elevation;
* the accomplished west extension incorporates subtle and elegant detailing, and is a good example of the later work of the significant Scottish architect James Bow Dunn;
* there is a range of original interior fixtures and fittings including good quality mid-C19 and early-C20 joinery and plasterwork, and ground floor fireplaces;
* the interior decorative scheme incorporates re-used C16 and C18 high-quality elements including C16 linenfold panelling, medallion panels and timber overmantle;
* the hierarchy inherent in the mid-C19 household, and continued through to the C20 is well-expressed in its legible plan form and retained fixtures and fittings that identify the function of the spaces.

Group value:

* it benefits from group value with St Cuthbert’s Church, designed in 1790 by Richard Hodgson of Carham Hall, which retains several C19 and C20 memorials to the memory of former owners and their families, demonstrating a clear historical functional relationship.

External Links

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