Beaufront Castle - Northumberland (original) (raw)

History

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Beaufront Castle, sitting high above the valley of the River Tyne, commands great views. It was first recorded as a tower in 1415 and was the seat of the Carnabys in the reign of Elizabeth I. In 1587 it was sold to the Errington family who made it their main house.

In 1810 the Rev. John Hodgson described the mansion as " Few places make a finer appearance, or enjoy a larger and better cultivated prospect than this. From the south side of the Tyne it exhibits a long and handsome front surrounded with fine pleasure-grounds and from its walks are seen towns, towers, and hamlets and the winding stream of the Tyne, somtimes hidden under its banks and at others boldly crossing the meadows in broad and silver looking reaches".

Following the death of John Errington who had spent £20,000 on the the gardens, plantations, lawns and hot-houses at the end of the C18, the house was pulled down and the present house was built by William Cuthbert in 1841 from designs by John Dobson, though it does include earlier remains. There were plans to make the castle a Government HQ for the North of England in the second World War.

Turris de Bewfronte (Sandhoe)