Kirkharle Hall
Encyclopedia
Kirkharle Hall was a country house at Kirkharle
, Northumberland
, England
, the former seat of the Loraine family
, now much reduced and in use as a farmhouse. The Hall is in the upper reaches of the Wansbeck valley
; almost adjacent to the A696 road
; 12 miles (19 km) west of Morpeth
; and 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of Kirkwhelpington
.
. Other early forms included Kyrkeherle (c.1250), Kyrkherll (1346) and Kirkehirle (1428), the "kirk" element denoting a "church".
The Loraine Baronets
acquired it by marriage the manor from the De Harles who owned it in the 14th century, and derived their name (literally "of Harle") from the village. Following its sale to a local farmer in the early 19th century the Hall was largely demolished. Only one wing was retained which was rebuilt as a farmhouse. It is a Grade II listed building.
Nearby stands a memorial stone erected in 1728 to replace an earlier memorial commemorating Robert Loraine who was killed by marauding Scots in 1483.
Among the quaint epitaphs in the church upon departed Loraines is the following:
Here lyes the Body of Richard Loraine, Esq., who was a proper handsome man of good sense and behaviour : he dy'd a Batcheler of an Appoplexy walking in a green field near London, October 26th, 1738, in the 38 Year of his Age.
The surrounding parkland was designed in the 18th century by Capability Brown who was born at Kirkharle
and who began his career as a gardener in the park. The park is a Registered Historic Park
Grade II.
The present owner has redeveloped the farm and its outbuildings to create Kirkharle Courtyard, a development incorporating historical, retail and craft centres.
Kirkharle
Kirkharle is a hamlet in the county of Northumberland in Northern England located about west of the town of Morpeth, just to the west of the crossroads of the A696 and B6342 roads.-Landmarks:...
, 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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the former seat of the Loraine family
Loraine Baronets
The Loraine Baronetcy, of Kirk Harle in the County of Northumberland, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 26 September 1664 for Thomas Loraine, High Sheriff of Northumberland. The second Baronet was Member of Parliament for Northumberland. The third Baronet was High Sheriff...
, now much reduced and in use as a farmhouse. The Hall is in the upper reaches of the Wansbeck valley
River Wansbeck
The River Wansbeck runs through the county of Northumberland, England. It rises above Sweethope Lough on the edge of Forelaws Forest in the area known locally as The Wanneys ; runs through the town of Ashington before discharging into the North Sea at Sandy Bay near Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.The River...
; almost adjacent to the A696 road
A696 road
The A696 is a major road in northern England, that runs from Otterburn in Northumberland to Newcastle upon Tyne.-Route:The A696 begins at a junction with the A68 road . It heads in a south-easterly direction through the village of Otterburn, and then past Kirkwhelpington...
; 12 miles (19 km) west of Morpeth
Morpeth, Northumberland
Morpeth is the county town of Northumberland, England. It is situated on the River Wansbeck which flows east through the town. The town is from the A1, which bypasses it. Since 1981, it has been the administrative centre of the County of Northumberland. In the 2001 census the town had a population...
; and 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of Kirkwhelpington
Kirkwhelpington
Kirkwhelpington is a village and civil parish in the English county of Northumberland about northeast of Hexham. It is on the River Wansbeck alongside the A696 trunk road between Otterburn and Ponteland.- History :...
.
History
Kirkharle name was first recorded, as Herle in 1177, and derives either from the Old English "Herela-lea" which means "Herela's Grove" or from the Old English "herg-lea" which means "temple-grove" a place of worship for the pre-Christian AnglesAngles
The Angles is a modern English term for a Germanic people who took their name from the ancestral cultural region of Angeln, a district located in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany...
. Other early forms included Kyrkeherle (c.1250), Kyrkherll (1346) and Kirkehirle (1428), the "kirk" element denoting a "church".
The Loraine Baronets
Loraine Baronets
The Loraine Baronetcy, of Kirk Harle in the County of Northumberland, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 26 September 1664 for Thomas Loraine, High Sheriff of Northumberland. The second Baronet was Member of Parliament for Northumberland. The third Baronet was High Sheriff...
acquired it by marriage the manor from the De Harles who owned it in the 14th century, and derived their name (literally "of Harle") from the village. Following its sale to a local farmer in the early 19th century the Hall was largely demolished. Only one wing was retained which was rebuilt as a farmhouse. It is a Grade II listed building.
Nearby stands a memorial stone erected in 1728 to replace an earlier memorial commemorating Robert Loraine who was killed by marauding Scots in 1483.
Among the quaint epitaphs in the church upon departed Loraines is the following:
Here lyes the Body of Richard Loraine, Esq., who was a proper handsome man of good sense and behaviour : he dy'd a Batcheler of an Appoplexy walking in a green field near London, October 26th, 1738, in the 38 Year of his Age.
The surrounding parkland was designed in the 18th century by Capability Brown who was born at Kirkharle
Kirkharle
Kirkharle is a hamlet in the county of Northumberland in Northern England located about west of the town of Morpeth, just to the west of the crossroads of the A696 and B6342 roads.-Landmarks:...
and who began his career as a gardener in the park. The park is a Registered Historic Park
National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens
In England, the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England provides a listing and classification system for historic parks and gardens similar to that used for listed buildings. The register is managed by English Heritage under the provisions of the National...
Grade II.
The present owner has redeveloped the farm and its outbuildings to create Kirkharle Courtyard, a development incorporating historical, retail and craft centres.