Brancepeth Castle, Durham, England

The following is from the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.  

A park with 14th century or earlier origins. A scheme of 1783 by Adam Mickle may have been partially executed. Pleasure grounds have early 19th century elements but originated in the 16th century or before.

DESCRIPTION

LOCATION, AREA, BOUNDARIES, LANDFORM, SETTING

Brancepeth Castle lies immediately south and east of the village of Brancepeth in a setting which is otherwise rural and agricultural. The site occupies about 250 hectares on land which slopes down to the south and east and rises again on the south side of the Brancepeth Beck which runs east and south through the western part of the site. The boundaries are formed by the A690 and part of Whitworth Lane to the north and north-west, Scripton Lane to the east, and fencing dividing the park from agricultural land on other sides. Part of Whitworth Lane runs through the south-west side of the park and this stretch has a cast-iron pale along the north-east side of the road.

REFERENCES

J P Neale, Views of the Seats ... I, (1818), pl 14

J Harris, The Artist and the Country House (1979), pl 39

D Jacques, Georgian Gardens (1983), p 116

N Pevsner and E Williamson, The Buildings of England: County Durham (1983), pp 113-121

J and M Merrington, Brancepeth 900 (1985)

Maps

John Speed, County Map, 1611

Map of Brancepeth, nd (early/mid C18), (D/BR/P6), (Durham Record Office)

OS 6" to 1 mile: 1st edition surveyed 1857

    2nd edition published 1898

OS 25" to 1 mile: 2nd edition published 1897

Archival items

The Humberstone Survey of 1569 is quoted in Merrington 1985 who give the repository as the Durham Record Office.

Description written: September 1998

Edited: September 2000