BEECHFIELD TOWER - Sanderson Young

BEECHFIELD TOWER
BELSAY, NORTHUMBERLAND
Grade I listed Country House

BEECHFIELD TOWER
BELSAY | NORTHUMBERLAND | NE20 OJP
Belsay 3.4 miles
Morpeth 13 miles
Ponteland 10 miles
Corbridge 13 miles
Newcastle upon Tyne 18 miles
(trains to London Kings Cross from 169 minutes)
(trains to Edinburgh Waverley from 88 minutes)
Newcastle International Airport 10 miles
Grade I Listed House | Staff House | Gatehouse | Stabling
Extensive Outbuildings | Home Offices | Formal Walled Gardens
Tennis Court | Lake
In all about 6 acres

AN IMPORTANT GRADE I LISTED COUNTRY HOUSE,
INCORPORATING A HISTORIC 14TH CENTURY PELE TOWER,
FORMAL GARDENS AND EXTENSIVE ANCILLARY ACCOMMODATION.

DESCRIPTION – MAIN HOUSE
Beechfield Tower includes a fine example of a Northumbrian Pele
tower, origins of which date back to the medieval times. The Pele
tower, with its fabulous crenellations has been successively enlarged
over time to form the magnificent manor house seen today. It is
constructed of traditional Northumberland stone under a slate roof.
The principal rooms on the ground floor are the great hall, drawing
room, dining room, galleried library, morning room, kitchen, billiard
room and music room.
The current owner’s construction of a magnificent double height Great
Hall in the baronial style with a double pitched oak roof with exposed
trusses has created the centrepiece around which the house flows.

The spectacular dining room, with a galleried library above, has a double height
ceiling and a beautiful arched stone fireplace. This room was personally created by
the designer Dudley Poplak, who decorated Highgrove for the Prince and Princess
of Wales.
The drawing room, over 40’ long, is exceptionally well proportioned. The
centrepiece of the room is a large high mantle open fireplace and surround, which
is set on a stone hearth. It has four south facing sash windows, with window seats
and double French doors overlooking the gardens and parkland.
Upstairs the house is arranged well for family living and guest accommodation.
There are eight bedrooms and seven bathrooms, as well an upstairs, sitting room,
study and nursery.

SITUATION
Beechfield Tower (Bitchfield Tower) is positioned down a long private drive through the parkland of The
Belsay Estate Charitable Trust. This provides a wonderfully protected parkland setting. It is set in its own
fabulous grounds, and formal gardens, in turn set in the stunning Northumbrian countryside, not far from
Belsay Hall and Castle, which is a popular landmark.
Beechfield House lies in a very private location, but also has easy access to both Newcastle upon Tyne
and the wide open spaces of the Northumberland National Park and north to the Borders country.
Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site is a short distance to the south and the property is near the ever
popular Tyne Valley.
Belsay, which is the closest village to the property, is found some three miles away, an attractive hamlet,
which was built as an estate village. It has an excellent village shop and well regarded primary school.
Ponteland, 10 miles to the south east of Beechfield, has a wide selection of facilities these include 3
public houses, a recently opened health centre, various restaurants and a Waitrose supermarket.
Schools include, Mowden Hall and Ponteland High School.
Further afield is Corbridge, a quaint market town, renowned for its shops which serve the local
population and the tourist trade. Several national retailers are represented in the town as well as
jewellers, grocery stores, bakers, bookshops, gift shops and fashion retailers.
The cities of Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead (18 miles), have a comprehensive range of shopping,
entertainment and cultural amenities including the Metro Centre, The Sage Concert Hall, The Baltic
Centre for Contemporary Art and The Metro Radio Arena. Newcastle upon Tyne also provides excellent
transport links by road, rail and air. Newcastle International airport, 10 miles from Beechfield Tower,
serves many UK and international destinations daily.
Sporting opportunities abound in the area. These include Championship golf courses at Ponteland, Matfen
and Gosforth Park. Salmon and trout fishing can be found on the resurgent River Tyne and Britain’s
premier salmon river; the River Tweed is 60 miles away. The area is also well regarded for other country
sports including several fine shooting estates and the Morpeth and Tynedale Hunt. There is excellent hill
walking in the area, including the 84 miles of walks on the Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail.
HISTORY
Built in the 1400’s by the Middleton family, Beechfield Tower was sold around 1502 to Marjorie
Harbottle, the heiress to the Harbottle estate, who later married Sir John Fenwick. In 1529 the family
passed the property to their second son Roger Fenwick. Then in 1622 Robert Fenwick built the manor
house which now adjoins the tower to the west side. The estate was then sold by the Fenwicks to Sir
Edward Grey in 1630. It was later acquired by James Clavering, who is believed to have added the
formal walled gardens and remodelled the south front, which resemble much of what you see today. In
1802 the Claverings sold the property to Sir Charles Monck. By the 1930’s it was in a state of ruin.
The current owners of Beechfield Tower acquired the property in 1995 and have sympathetically
restored and refurbished the property, including construction of the fabulous Great Hall, Staff House,
Gatehouse and Estate Office.

GROUND FLO
SECOND
BASEMENT
FIRST FLOOR
SECOND FLOOR TOWER
THIRD FLOOR TOWER

OR
FLOOR
EPC - Beechfield Tower
EPC - Staff Cottage
EPC - The Gate House

STAFF COTTAGE
Staff Cottage was built in 1997 and is constructed
of Northumbrian stone under a slate roof. It
has a sitting room, dining room and kitchen,
three bedrooms and two bathrooms including
an en suite shower room.
THE GATE HOUSE
The gatehouse is a fabulous stone tower, built in
1996, flanked on one side with open car parking
and on the other side with an independent
Gatehouse apartment studio and en suite bathroom.
HOME OFFICES
The Home Offices are a beautiful L shaped single
storey building, was converted in 2002 into a
superb office complex. It includes a reception
office, principal office, boardroom,administration
centre and bathroom. It was constructed
specifically for Home Office use, but would
very easily convert into residential use as a
separate dwelling for a relative or dependent
(subject to necessary permissions).
STABLES & GIN-GAN
The Stables and Gin-Gan is a stone building, mainly
single storey, except the southern wing which is
double storey. It lies adjacent to the open
roundhouse under a circular Gin-Gan roof with
exposed stone pillars and provides an ideal sheltered
parking area. There are also further garages and
stores, a gardener’s workshop, tack room and two
stables it has a potential for a leisure/cinema wing
(subject to necessary permissions).

GATEHOUSE GROUND FLOOR
STAFF COTTAGE
GROUND FLOOR
STAFF COTTAGE
FIRST FLOOR
GATEHOUSE FIRST FLOOR
HOME OFFICES
BARN & GIN-GAN

OUTSIDE
Beechfield Tower is located in a wonderful setting, accessed by a private
drive and road through the Belsay Estate to the main entrance, with stone
pillared surrounds and electrically operated gates. A driveway and courtyard
leads around the Home Offices and the Garaging and Stables, exiting
through the gatehouse.
The gardens and grounds are magnificently lit which creates an impressive
spectacle during the hours of darkness.
There is a secure dog pen and kennel and access into the kitchen garden
adjacent to the east wing of the house. It is lawned and planted with fabulous
flowers and perennial shrubs surrounding the stone wall boundaries.
To the east is a paddock and orchard with 21’ x 15’ wooden stable on a
concrete base.
The formal gardens to the property are laid out from the centre of the house
to its southern elevation in traditional landscaped style, with quadrangle and
stone boundary walls and central stone rill linking central pool and down to
the lake. Box hedging surrounds the stone flagged terraces and paths adjacent
to the open lawned gardens which divide in three separate areas to its southern
boundary, where the lawned areas roll down towards the lake. The gardens
are surrounded in season by daffodils, snowdrops and beautiful herbaceous
and mixed borders in summer. The lake, stocked with trout and surrounded by
mature trees is beautifully lit and has a central fountain and aerator.
Stunning woodland, with picturesque walks leads through to the all weather
international size tennis court. The court is sheltered by mature trees that
screen the western boundary, and indeed the whole of Beechfield Tower.
The main drive, with gravelled areas, leads into a cobbled courtyard and
parking area. This is adjacent to the stables and gin-gan, now used for
sheltered parking. The grounds of Beechfield Tower extend to about 6 acres,
are well landscaped and a rare asset. The quality of the maintenance and
planting of the grounds will be appreciated by keen horticulturists.

GENERAL REMARKS AND
STIPULATIONS
Postcode
NE20 0JP
Tenure
Beechfield Tower is offered for sale freehold
with vacant possession.
Planning
Beechfield Tower is Grade I listed and the
stables, stores, gin gan and walled garden are all
Grade II Listed.
Footpaths and Rights of Way
There are no rights of way or footpaths
crossing the property. The property benefits
from a right of way over the drive passing
West Bitchfield Cottages, as indicated on the
site plan. A footpath also runs along this route.
Services
Mains electricity and water, oil fired central
heating (in 3 circuits), alarm connected to central
monitoring service, fire alarm, smoke detectors
on Red Care system to central station.
Local Authority
Northumberland County Council
0845 600 6400
Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey
Mapping with the permission of the
Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery
Office. Crown Copyright
(ES763454). NOT TO SCALE
DIRECTIONS
From the south – Exit the A1 at the A696.
Continue along this road for about 11 miles until
reaching the village of Belsay. Continue through
the village then take the slight left onto the
B6309 towards Stamfordham. Continue around
the sharp bends and take the next left signposted
Stamfordham, Beechfield Tower can be found on
your left down a long drive after about 0.8 miles.
From the north – exit the A1 onto the A192 to
Morpeth. In Morpeth turn right onto the A197.
After about 1 mile turn right onto the B6524
through the villages of West Edington and
Whalton. At the T junction in Belsay turn right
onto the A696. Continue through the village,
and then take the slight left onto the B6309
towards Stamfordham. Continue around the
sharp bends and take the next left signposted
Stamfordham, Beechfield Tower can be found on
your left down a long drive after about 0.8 miles.
Viewing Strictly by appointment with the agents
Strutt & Parker and Sanderson Young.
If you require this publication in an alternative format, please contact Strutt & Parker LLP on tel 020 7629 7282. IMPORTANT NOTICE Strutt & Parker LLP and Sanderson Young for themselves and for the Vendors
of this property, whose agents they are, give notice that: 1. The particulars are intended to give a fair and substantially correct overall description for the guidance of intending purchasers and do not constitute part
of an offer or contract. Prospective purchasers and lessees ought to seek their own professional advice. 2. All descriptions, dimensions, areas, reference to condition and necessary permissions for use and
occupation and other details are given in good faith, and are believed to be correct, but any intending purchasers should not rely on them as statements or representations of fact, but must satisfy themselves by
inspection or otherwise as to the correctness of each of them. 3. No person in the employment of Strutt & Parker LLP or Sanderson Young has any authority to make or give any representations or warranty whatever
in relation to this property on behalf of Strutt & Parker LLP or Sanderson Young, nor enter into any contract on behalf of the Vendor. 4. No responsibility can be accepted for any expenses incurred by intending
purchasers in inspecting properties which have been sold, let or withdrawn. Photographs taken March 2010. Particulars prepared February 2011. MEASUREMENTS AND OTHER INFORMATION All
measurements are approximate. While we endeavour to make our sales particulars accurate and reliable, if there is any point which is of particular importance to you, please contact this office and we will be pleased
to check the information for you, particularly if contemplating travelling some distance to view the property.

Tel: 0191 223 3500
rare! Office, The Old Bank, 30 High Street
Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 1LX
duncan.young@sandersonyoung.co.uk
www.sandersonyoung.co.uk
Tel: 01670 516 123
59 Newgate St
Morpeth NE61 1AY
morpeth@struttandparker.com
www.struttandparker.com
Tel: 020 7629 7282
13 Hill Street
London W1J 5LQ
london@struttandparker.com
www.struttandparker.com