Wynyard Park, County Durham
Encyclopedia
Wynyard Park, sometimes known as Wynyard Hall is a large country house in County Durham
, England
. The house used to be the family seat of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family, Marquesses of Londonderry
, an Anglo-Irish
aristocratic dynasty, but it was sold in the 1980s.
and built 1822-28, the entrance front has 13 bays with a 6-column giant Corinthian Portico
. The Entrance Hall looked like that of Mount Stewart
, the family's estate in Northern Ireland
. It has a coffer
ed segmental tunnel vault with apses at both ends and in the middle, suspended from the ceiling there was a large crystal
chandelier. The main octagonal centre hall extends the full height of the house and has a dome with caryatid
s around it and a skylight. There is also a mirrored Drawing Room with a gilded and painted ceiling, and a vast callroom similar to that of the family's London residence, Londonderry House
.
The family wing of the mansion was nicknamed the Dukes Wing as it was named after the Duke of Wellington and his visit. This side of the house also held the Duke's Gallery; the place the family housed their famed art collection when not in London
.
. The vast obelisk, 127 feet (38.7 m) high, commemorates the visit of the Duke of Wellington
in 1827.
At its height in the 19th century, the Wynyard Estate occupied 7000 acres (2,832.8 ha) in Teesside
.
The grounds today include a 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) ornamental lake, a walled garden, two entrance lodges, three cottages, a former racing yard, and productive farmland.
, a famous coal magnate and founder of Seaham Harbour. The Marquess spent the then enormous sum of £130,000 to build and furnish the House. In 1841, just as the mansion was being completed, a fire broke out and gutted the house; it was later restored and remodelled by Ignatius Bonomi
.
There had been a house on the site since the Middle Ages, and the 3rd Marquess incorporated parts of an earlier 18th century building into his house.
In the 19th century, George Vane-Tempest
, who became Earl Vane in 1854 and the 5th Marquess of Londonderry in 1872, owned vast estates: 27000 acres (10,926.5 ha) in Ireland and 23000 acres (9,307.8 ha) in England and Wales; he also sat in the House of Commons
as a Member of Parliament for 26 years.
Upon the death of the 5th Marquess in 1884 his eldest son, Charles, became the 6th Marquess; it was the 6th Marquess's wife, Lady Londonderry, who was the model for the famous Lady Roehampton in Vita Sackville-West
's The Edwardians.
The estate remained in the Londonderry family until 1987, though it was let as a training school for teachers from 1945 until 1960, during which time it lost most of its original contents through sales and breakages.
The estate was sold in 1987 to Sir John Hall
, along with 5000 acres (2,023.4 ha). Hall spent £4 million to restore the house, hiring Rupert Lord to oversee the restoration; he later moved his company headquarters, as well as his home, into the mansion. The estate, comprising the house and 780 acres (315.7 ha) of parkland, was listed for sale in July 2002 for £8 million.
and Queen Alexandra
) were frequent visitors to Wynyard. It was at Wynyard that the Royal Council was held in the early nineteenth century.
Wynyard Estates residents include Duncan Bannatyne
, and many famous footballers including Andrew Davies and Malcolm Christie
. Ex residents include Kevin Keegan
, Sheila Bradley & Alan Mitchell Alan Shearer
(moved to Darras Hall
), and Michael Gell.
There is a successful golf club on Wellington Drive.
Wynyard land north of the A689 has been acquired by Chris Musgrave (a Hartlepool businessman). Some of this land was previously occupied by Samsung, the electronics giant. It is now known as Wynyard Park. There are plans to build an eco housing estate and these have been given the go ahead by planners. The plans include 2000 houses, a 3* hotel, and a 5* modern business hotel. A further plan to build a £464 million state-of-the-art hospital on the site has recently been cancelled by the UK coalition Government as part of its cost-cutting programme.
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The house used to be the family seat of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family, Marquesses of Londonderry
Marquess of Londonderry
Marquess of Londonderry is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1816 for Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Londonderry. He had earlier represented County Down in the Irish House of Commons. Stewart had already been created Baron Londonderry in 1789, Viscount Castlereagh in 1795 and Earl...
, an Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
aristocratic dynasty, but it was sold in the 1980s.
The house
Designed by Philip WyattPhilip Wyatt
Philip William Wyatt was an English architect, the youngest son of the architect James Wyatt nephew of Samuel Wyatt, cousin to Sir Jeffry Wyattville....
and built 1822-28, the entrance front has 13 bays with a 6-column giant Corinthian Portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
. The Entrance Hall looked like that of Mount Stewart
Mount Stewart
Mount Stewart is an 18th-century house and garden in County Down, Northern Ireland, owned by the National Trust. Situated on the east shore of Strangford Lough, a few miles outside the town of Newtownards and near Greyabbey, it was the home of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family, Marquesses of...
, the family's estate in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It has a coffer
Coffer
A coffer in architecture, is a sunken panel in the shape of a square, rectangle, or octagon in a ceiling, soffit or vault...
ed segmental tunnel vault with apses at both ends and in the middle, suspended from the ceiling there was a large crystal
Crystal
A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are arranged in an orderly repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. The scientific study of crystals and crystal formation is known as crystallography...
chandelier. The main octagonal centre hall extends the full height of the house and has a dome with caryatid
Caryatid
A caryatid is a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar supporting an entablature on her head. The Greek term karyatides literally means "maidens of Karyai", an ancient town of Peloponnese...
s around it and a skylight. There is also a mirrored Drawing Room with a gilded and painted ceiling, and a vast callroom similar to that of the family's London residence, Londonderry House
Londonderry House
Londonderry House was an aristocratic townhouse situated on Park Lane in the Mayfair district of London, England.The house was the home to the Irish, titled family called the Stewarts who are better known as the Marquesses of Londonderry....
.
The family wing of the mansion was nicknamed the Dukes Wing as it was named after the Duke of Wellington and his visit. This side of the house also held the Duke's Gallery; the place the family housed their famed art collection when not in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Gardens
As one first sees the house you can see many statues in the entrance court outside the house and in the distance there is an ObeliskObelisk
An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
. The vast obelisk, 127 feet (38.7 m) high, commemorates the visit of the Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
in 1827.
At its height in the 19th century, the Wynyard Estate occupied 7000 acres (2,832.8 ha) in Teesside
Teesside
Teesside is the name given to the conurbation in the north east of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the River Tees. It was also the name of a local government district between 1968 and 1974—the County Borough of...
.
The grounds today include a 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) ornamental lake, a walled garden, two entrance lodges, three cottages, a former racing yard, and productive farmland.
Brief history
The mansion was started by Benjamin Wyatt and completed by Philip Wyatt for the third Marquess of LondonderryMarquess of Londonderry
Marquess of Londonderry is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1816 for Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Londonderry. He had earlier represented County Down in the Irish House of Commons. Stewart had already been created Baron Londonderry in 1789, Viscount Castlereagh in 1795 and Earl...
, a famous coal magnate and founder of Seaham Harbour. The Marquess spent the then enormous sum of £130,000 to build and furnish the House. In 1841, just as the mansion was being completed, a fire broke out and gutted the house; it was later restored and remodelled by Ignatius Bonomi
Ignatius Bonomi
Ignatius Bonomi was an English architect and surveyor, with Italian origins by his father, strongly associated with Durham in north-east England....
.
There had been a house on the site since the Middle Ages, and the 3rd Marquess incorporated parts of an earlier 18th century building into his house.
In the 19th century, George Vane-Tempest
George Vane-Tempest, 5th Marquess of Londonderry
George Henry Robert Charles William Vane-Tempest, 5th Marquess of Londonderry KP , styled Viscount Seaham between 1823 and 1854 and known as The Earl Vane between 1854 and 1872, was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat, businessman, diplomat and Conservative politician.-Background and education:Born George...
, who became Earl Vane in 1854 and the 5th Marquess of Londonderry in 1872, owned vast estates: 27000 acres (10,926.5 ha) in Ireland and 23000 acres (9,307.8 ha) in England and Wales; he also sat in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
as a Member of Parliament for 26 years.
Upon the death of the 5th Marquess in 1884 his eldest son, Charles, became the 6th Marquess; it was the 6th Marquess's wife, Lady Londonderry, who was the model for the famous Lady Roehampton in Vita Sackville-West
Vita Sackville-West
The Hon Victoria Mary Sackville-West, Lady Nicolson, CH , best known as Vita Sackville-West, was an English author, poet and gardener. She won the Hawthornden Prize in 1927 and 1933...
's The Edwardians.
The estate remained in the Londonderry family until 1987, though it was let as a training school for teachers from 1945 until 1960, during which time it lost most of its original contents through sales and breakages.
The estate was sold in 1987 to Sir John Hall
John Hall (businessman)
Sir John Hall is a property developer in North East England. He is also life president and former chairman of Newcastle United.-Biography:...
, along with 5000 acres (2,023.4 ha). Hall spent £4 million to restore the house, hiring Rupert Lord to oversee the restoration; he later moved his company headquarters, as well as his home, into the mansion. The estate, comprising the house and 780 acres (315.7 ha) of parkland, was listed for sale in July 2002 for £8 million.
Royal Visits
The Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VIIEdward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
and Queen Alexandra
Alexandra of Denmark
Alexandra of Denmark was the wife of Edward VII of the United Kingdom...
) were frequent visitors to Wynyard. It was at Wynyard that the Royal Council was held in the early nineteenth century.
Living in Wynyard
There are three areas of housing development - approximately 800 properties in all - within the former Wynyard Estate: Wynyard Village, Wynyard Woods and Wynyard Park. These are all south of the A689 road.Wynyard Estates residents include Duncan Bannatyne
Duncan Bannatyne
Duncan Walker Bannatyne, OBE is a Scottish entrepreneur, philanthropist and author. His business interests include hotels, health clubs, spas, media, TV, stage schools, property and transport. He is most famous for his appearance as a business angel on the BBC programme Dragons' Den...
, and many famous footballers including Andrew Davies and Malcolm Christie
Malcolm Christie
Malcom Neil "Malcolm" Christie is an English footballer who is a free agent. He has previously played for Nuneaton Borough, Derby County, Middlesbrough and Leeds United and has earned 11 England under-21 caps.-Career:...
. Ex residents include Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
, Sheila Bradley & Alan Mitchell Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team...
(moved to Darras Hall
Darras Hall
Darras Hall is a housing estate that resides on the suburbs of Ponteland approximately 8 miles to the north of Newcastle Upon Tyne. It is approximately 2 miles away from Newcastle International Airport and is one of the most affluent estates in the North East of England. Some famous current and...
), and Michael Gell.
There is a successful golf club on Wellington Drive.
Wynyard land north of the A689 has been acquired by Chris Musgrave (a Hartlepool businessman). Some of this land was previously occupied by Samsung, the electronics giant. It is now known as Wynyard Park. There are plans to build an eco housing estate and these have been given the go ahead by planners. The plans include 2000 houses, a 3* hotel, and a 5* modern business hotel. A further plan to build a £464 million state-of-the-art hospital on the site has recently been cancelled by the UK coalition Government as part of its cost-cutting programme.
See also
- Marquess of LondonderryMarquess of LondonderryMarquess of Londonderry is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1816 for Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Londonderry. He had earlier represented County Down in the Irish House of Commons. Stewart had already been created Baron Londonderry in 1789, Viscount Castlereagh in 1795 and Earl...
- Londonderry HouseLondonderry HouseLondonderry House was an aristocratic townhouse situated on Park Lane in the Mayfair district of London, England.The house was the home to the Irish, titled family called the Stewarts who are better known as the Marquesses of Londonderry....
- Mount StewartMount StewartMount Stewart is an 18th-century house and garden in County Down, Northern Ireland, owned by the National Trust. Situated on the east shore of Strangford Lough, a few miles outside the town of Newtownards and near Greyabbey, it was the home of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family, Marquesses of...
- Plas MachynllethPlas MachynllethPlas Machynlleth was the Welsh residence of the Marquesses of Londonderry, situated in the market town of Machynlleth in Powys , Wales...
- Seaham HallSeaham HallSeaham Hall is now a spa Hotel in County Durham, England. It was once owned by George Henry Robert Charles William Vane-Tempest, 5th Marquess of Londonderry, although for much of his life he lived at Plas Machynlleth, his wife's home in Montgomeryshire....
- Loring HallLoring HallLoring Hall is a Grade II listed building and private mental health care facility in North Cray, Kent.-History:The building, originally called Wollet Hall, was first constructed in 1760, and was between 1811 and 1822 the country residence of British Foreign Secretary Viscount Castlereagh...