Bavington Hall is a 17th-century privately owned country house at Little Bavington in Northumberland

Northumberland

Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...

. It is a Grade II* listed building.

A tower house

Tower house

A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...

 (Little Bavington Tower) was recorded on the site in 1415, but this was replaced in the late 17th century by the Shafto family

Shafto family

The Ffolliot family were established by the 14th century at Shafto Crag, Northumberlandand adopted the alternative surname of Shafto.-Shafto of Little Bavington, Northumberland:...

.

The Shaftos acquired the estate when William Shafto married the Bavington heiress in the 15th century. In 1716 William Shafto and his son John were attainted for their part in the Jacobite uprising of 1715 and the estate was forfeited and sold by the Crown to Admiral George Delaval

George Delaval

-Family:He was of a junior branch of the Delaval family, the son of George Delaval of North Dissington, Northumberland. His father left him a legacy of only £100 but he went on to make a large fortune from his naval and diplomatic career.-Naval career:...

. On his death Delaval restored the property to the Shafto family by bequeathing the estate to his brother-in-law George Delaval Shafto (High Sheriff of Northumberland

High Sheriff of Northumberland

This is a list of the High Sheriffs of the English county of Northumberland.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post...

 1739 and Member of Parliament

Member of Parliament

A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...

 for Northumberland

Northumberland (UK Parliament constituency)

Northumberland, was a County constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It was represented by two Members of Parliament.The constituency was split into two...

1757-74).

Significant alterations and improvements to the three-storeyed, seven-bayed house were carried out in 1720, 1851 and 1930.

The Shafto family sold the property in 1994. The present owners offer holiday accommodation in cottages in the grounds. The grounds contain a grotto, statues and other features which are Grade II listed.