Walwick Grange, Warden

Has been described as a Certain Pele Tower

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains

NameWalwick Grange, Warden
Alternative NamesWallwick; Wallick
Historic CountryNorthumberland
Modern AuthorityNorthumberland
1974 AuthorityNorthumberland
Civil ParishWarden

House, early C18 altered early C19, reputedly incorporating a medieval pele tower. Rubble with tooled stone dressings, entrance section and gable of main building towards garden ashlar-faced. Stone slate roofs.

Main building 'L' plan, 3 storeys with contemporary 2-storey left wing and early C19 gabled entrance section with porch in re-entrant angle.

River front 3 storeys, 5 windows, symmetrical. Small central door blocked and small window inserted, beneath a tall round-headed stair window in flat surround with moulded imposts and raised keystone, flanked at ground and 1st floor levels by 12-pane sashes in flat surrounds with raised keystones. 2nd floor has 5 12-pane sashes with tooled lintels. Roof has coped gables with kneelers carrying urn finials, stone gable stacks with conjoined shafts.

Garden front has 12- and 16-pane sashes, one renewed, porch door with 4-centred head, and a canted bay on the ground floor of the 2-storey C19 section. 2 ashlar ridge stacks on wing. Left gable of wing with blocked segmental-arched carriage entrance.

Interior. Elegant stair with curtail step, wreathed and moulded handrail and column-on-vase balusters. One ground floor room has bolection-moulded fireplace flanked by niches, panelled walls. Cellar with brick barrel vault. (Listed Building Report)

Walwick Grange stands on a rock, in a low and secluded situation, on the brink of the North Tyne. The ancient dwelling was built after the manner of the border towers: the additions to it in the modern style. It was the seat of Anthony Errington, Esq. in 1551; and of his lineal descendant, John, in the latter part of last century. The estate is leasehold, under the Northumberland family. (Hodgson and Laird 1813)

Gatehouse Comments

300 metres to the west of the Grange are some well preserved medieval fish ponds. These are high status features and there must, therefore, have been a high status precursor medieval building to the C18 Grange. Anthony Errington is recorded as a gentlemen living at Wallick Grange in the 1550 survey (Hodgson, 1828, History of Northumberland pt.3 v. 2 p. 247). Early C19 writers record the building and it seems to have been a solar or chamber tower attached to a hall.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceNY907693
Latitude55.0181999206543
Longitude-2.14637994766235
Eastings390725
Northings569305
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Dodds, John F., 1999, Bastions and Belligerents (Newcastle upon Tyne: Keepdate Publishing) p. 365
  • Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles and Tower Houses of Northumberland (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 115 (slight)
  • Mackenzie, E., 1825, An Historical, Topographical, and Descriptive View of the County of Northumberland (Newcastle upon Tyne) Vol. 2 p. 260-1 online copy
  • Hodgson, J. and Laird, F.C., 1813, The Beauties of England and Wales Vol. 12.1 p. 135 online copy