Chirton Hall
Encyclopedia
Chirton Hall or Chirton House, occasionally spelled Churton and originally Cheuton, was a country house in Chirton, in what is now a western suburb of North Shields
, Tyne and Wear
, northeast England. Historically, the house was considered a property in the county of Northumberland
.
(d. 1675) in 1672. Clarke, an agent of Josceline Percy, 11th Earl of Northumberland, was gifted the materials to build the hall by the Countess of Northumberland
from the demolished Warkworth Castle
. The labor to build the large, plain, brick house came from the Percy estate. Clarke's documented letter from 1672 is shown to the right.
Clarke spared many of the castle walls because he had found that it would be more expensive to pull them down than to purchase new stones from the quarry. Clarke's widow, Jane (d. 1694), married Philip Bickerstaffe
(MP for Berwick
in 1685) in 1675, and Chirton Hall became his seat. On August 1, 1699, Bickerstaffe surrendered his copyhold lands in Chirton to Sir William Blackett
who sold the hall to Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll
.
The High Sheriff of Northumberland
in 1707, Robert Lawson, resided at Chirton Hall, at the time, there were adjoining plantations; and in 1767, its owner was James Hylton de Cardonnel Lawson. It was owned by the Milburns in the early 18th century and, through marriage, it was passed to the Roddams, and then the Collingwoods. It became a property of Lord Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood
(1748-1810), a notable naval commander; as well as his cousin, Edward Collingwood (1734 – 1806), a commissioner of Greenwich hospital, and a barrister who ordered the construction of Dissington Hall
. After Edward Collingwood's death in 1806, it passed to his brother, John Collingwood.
In 1828, a West Chirton Hall belonged to Michael Robson (1783-1837), a coal owner. The last reported owner was his daughter, Annie Robson, who married on 23 August 1843. In 1870, portions of the Chirton estate were sold off in numerous lots. Chirton Hall fell into ruins by the mid 19th century and no longer exists; in 1968, it was reported that little more than the piers of the gateway remained. The reason for its abandonment and subsequent decline was due to rapid urban sprawl, and factory and council house development in the vicinity (the population of Chirton had grown from about 1000 to over 5000 in just 27 years) which reportedly left the owners "curled up and dying in shame".
North Shields
North Shields is a town on the north bank of the River Tyne, in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, in North East England...
, Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
, northeast England. Historically, the house was considered a property in the county of Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
.
History
Ralph Reed sold his land in Chirton to John Clarke IIJohn Clarke II
John Clarke II was M.P. of Cockermouth. He had been an agent of Josceline Percy, 11th Earl of Northumberland. Clarke purchased land in Chirton from Ralph Reed in 1672. He built Chirton Hall with materials from the demolished Warkworth Castle. Clarke's widow, Jane , married Philip Bickerstaffe,...
(d. 1675) in 1672. Clarke, an agent of Josceline Percy, 11th Earl of Northumberland, was gifted the materials to build the hall by the Countess of Northumberland
Elizabeth Percy, countess of Northumberland
Elizabeth Percy, Countess of Northumberland was a British courtier.She was one of the Windsor Beauties, painted by Sir Peter Lely.-Family:...
from the demolished Warkworth Castle
Warkworth Castle
Warkworth Castle is a ruined medieval building in the town of the same name in the English county of Northumberland. The town and castle occupy a loop of the River Coquet, less than a mile from England's north-east coast...
. The labor to build the large, plain, brick house came from the Percy estate. Clarke's documented letter from 1672 is shown to the right.
Clarke spared many of the castle walls because he had found that it would be more expensive to pull them down than to purchase new stones from the quarry. Clarke's widow, Jane (d. 1694), married Philip Bickerstaffe
Philip Bickerstaffe
Philip Bickerstaffe was an English merchant and the owner of Amble Works. He was M.P. for Berwick-upon-Tweed 1685; and for Northumberland 1689-1698...
(MP for Berwick
Berwick
Berwick-upon-Tweed is a border town in the north of England.Berwick may also refer to:- England :*Berwick Street Market, London*Berwick, Sussex**Berwick railway station*Berwick St John, Wiltshire...
in 1685) in 1675, and Chirton Hall became his seat. On August 1, 1699, Bickerstaffe surrendered his copyhold lands in Chirton to Sir William Blackett
Sir William Blackett, 1st Baronet, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Sir William Blackett, 1st Baronet was a landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons in three periods between 1685 and 1705.Blackette was the third son of Sir William Blackett and his wife Elizabeth Kirkly...
who sold the hall to Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll, 10th Earl of Argyll was a Scottish peer.-Biography:The eldest son of Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll and Mary Stuart, daughter of James Stuart, 4th Earl of Moray, Campbell sought to recover his father's estates...
.
The High Sheriff of Northumberland
High Sheriff of Northumberland
This is a list of the High Sheriffs of the English county of Northumberland.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post...
in 1707, Robert Lawson, resided at Chirton Hall, at the time, there were adjoining plantations; and in 1767, its owner was James Hylton de Cardonnel Lawson. It was owned by the Milburns in the early 18th century and, through marriage, it was passed to the Roddams, and then the Collingwoods. It became a property of Lord Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood
Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood
Vice Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood was an admiral of the Royal Navy, notable as a partner with Lord Nelson in several of the British victories of the Napoleonic Wars, and frequently as Nelson's successor in commands.-Early years:Collingwood was born in Newcastle upon Tyne...
(1748-1810), a notable naval commander; as well as his cousin, Edward Collingwood (1734 – 1806), a commissioner of Greenwich hospital, and a barrister who ordered the construction of Dissington Hall
Dissington Hall
Dissington Hall is a privately owned country mansion, now a wedding and conference centre, situated on the banks of the River Pont at North Dissington, Ponteland, Northumberland. It is a Grade II* listed building....
. After Edward Collingwood's death in 1806, it passed to his brother, John Collingwood.
In 1828, a West Chirton Hall belonged to Michael Robson (1783-1837), a coal owner. The last reported owner was his daughter, Annie Robson, who married on 23 August 1843. In 1870, portions of the Chirton estate were sold off in numerous lots. Chirton Hall fell into ruins by the mid 19th century and no longer exists; in 1968, it was reported that little more than the piers of the gateway remained. The reason for its abandonment and subsequent decline was due to rapid urban sprawl, and factory and council house development in the vicinity (the population of Chirton had grown from about 1000 to over 5000 in just 27 years) which reportedly left the owners "curled up and dying in shame".