Carham Hall

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55°38′32″N 2°18′50″W / 55.64222°N 2.31389°W / 55.64222; -2.31389

Carham Hall is a

Carham Hall and its associated estate lies in northern Northumberland immediately south of the River Tweed which, at this point, marks the modern border with Scotland (the border swings southwards, away from the Tweed west of Carham). The current hall has some Jacobethan styling but is demonstrative of the Scottish influence on this part of Northern England. It is described as a good example of the later work of architect James Bow Dunn, with subtle and elegant detailing. The structure is linear in nature, facing to the south to overlook the associated park. The hall is built of buff-coloured sandstone, dressed with pink sandstone; the roof is covered with Devonian flagstones. The windows have mullions and transoms. The roof has kneelers, ridged copings and multiple corniced chimney stacks on the ridge.^[1]

The main south elevation is of eight

A tower house was present on this site in the 13th century and survived until at least 1541.^[1] The tower would have provided a means of defence against the border reivers who operated in this area during this period.^[2] The estate was purchased by the Compton family in 1754 and they erected the first Carham Hall on the site in 1755. The structure is recorded in an engraving by J. P. Neale, published in 1818. Neale's engraving shows the structure was in the Classical style, though rather plain. It consisted of a three-storey central block with small, two-storey wings. The hall seems to have passed to the Hodgson family by the end of the century. A resident of the hall, Richard Hodgson, was responsible for designing St Cuthbert's Church in nearby Carham in 1790.^[1]

1870 hall

The estate passed to Richard Hodgson's grandson Richard Hodgson-Huntley, who was member of parliament for Tynemouth and North Shields and, later, for Berwick-upon-Tweed. He was also a director of the North British Railway and, from 1877, was High Sheriff of Northumberland. Hodgson-Huntley is thought to have ordered the rebuilding of Carham Hall in 1870, as a mark of his high social status.^[1]

The architect employed is not known but the works were carried out in the Tudor Revival style.^[3][1] A wall of the old structure may have been incorporated into the rear elevation of the new hall, as this wall is irregular. The new hall was rectangular in plan with gables on its rear elevation and towers at the east and west ends.^[1]

Carham Hall later came into the possession of Charles Perkins whose second daughter, Nancy, married William Matthew Burrell in 1903. The Burrells lived at the hall during the

By 2011 the house was in use as a

The relisting grants the hall protection under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and would require an application for listed building consent for any future demolition. Such a consent should only be granted where there would be a substantial public benefit, in this case effectively safeguarding the structure. After the relisting The Victorian Society requested that Northumberland County Council work with Straker-Smith to find a suitable purpose for the hall, warning that there was a risk that it could be left to deteriorate until permission to demolish it was forthcoming.^[5]

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