Axwell House
Axwell House (also Axwell Hall or Axwell Park) is a mansion house and Grade II* listed building, at Axwell Park, Blaydon, Tyne and Wear, England.[1]
The house and surrounding estate were constructed in 1758 and owned by the Clavering baronets until 1920. The house became a school, but fell into disrepair in the 1980s. Houses have been built on the former stables and walled garden, and in 2020 there were plans to convert the house into apartments.
History
An early manor house on the site was acquired by James Clavering, a merchant adventurer of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1629 for £1,700.[2] In 1758 his descendant Sir Thomas Clavering of the Clavering baronets replaced the house with a substantial mansion and assisted architect James Paine (1712–1789) in the Palladian design of the new house.[3] The grounds were laid out in the style of Capability Brown.[4] Alterations were around 1818 by John Dobson.[5]
The hall and its surrounding 60 acres (24 ha) was converted for use as the Newcastle Ragged School in 1920.[6] It was initially an Industrial School and then an Approved school.[7] It had spaces for 153 children and closed in 1981.[8][9]
Having stood empty, neglected and deteriorating the property and 35-acre (14 ha) park were acquired in 2005 by property developers Eight Property Ltd, for restoration and conversion to residential use.[10][8][11] The company built 27 apartments and houses on the site of the stable block[9] but conversion of the house was not achieved. In 2020, plans were approved for another developer to convert the house – described as an empty shell – into apartments.[12]
Architecture
The three-storey stone building has a slate roof. The south front has a three-bay with a pediment. It was designated as a listed building in 1985.[1]
Some of the walls and balustrades are also listed,[13] as is the late 18th or early 19th century sandstone bridge 280 metres (920 ft) south of the house.[14]
The attached farm has a late 18th or early 19th century dovecote.[15] The grounds also included a dairy, walled kitchen garden and stables.[8]
References
- ^ a b Historic England. "Axwell Park and steps and balustrades to south. (1025206)". National Heritage List for England.
- ^ National Archives: Durham Record Office, Clavering Family Papers Ref D/CG7/14-16
- ^ Structures of the North East Archived May 26, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The History of Axwell Park". Axwell Park. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
- ^ "Conservation Area Character Statements, Strategies and Policy Guidelines" (PDF). Gateshead Council. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
- ^ "Axwell Hall - sitelines.newcastle.gov.uk". twsitelines.info. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
- ^ Veitch, Roly. "Axwell Hall (aka Axwell House) - The Bad Lads School". Roly Veitch. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
- ^ a b c Henderson, Tony (26 January 2016). "Axwell Hall in Derwent Valley to be converted into 20 homes as it gets new lease of life at last". Chronicle Live. Archived from the original on 1 January 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
- ^ a b "Axwell Hall". House and Heritage. 27 December 2016. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
- ^ "Historic hall is set to reopen". nechronicle. 23 June 2005. Archived from the original on 18 October 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
- ^ "The Development". Axwell Park. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
- ^ Ford, Coreena (30 June 2020). "Historic Tyneside hall to be transformed into luxury apartments". Business Live. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ Historic England. "Retaining wall, balustrade, piers and steps to terrace south of Axwell Park (1025207)". National Heritage List for England.
- ^ Historic England. "Bridge 280 metres south of Axwell Park (1025208)". National Heritage List for England.
- ^ Historic England. "Dovecot at Axwell Park House Farm. (1355098)". National Heritage List for England.