Low Walworth
Encyclopedia
Low Walworth is a hamlet
in County Durham
, England
, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the north−west of the edge of Darlington
. It consists of Low Walworth Hall, Low Walworth Farm and their respective cottages, flats and outbuildings. Several of these buildings are listed, and date from the 17th to the 19th century. Attached to one of the late 18th century farm buildings is a gin gang
, or building from which a horse powered a threshing machine
by walking in a circle. The hall has accommodated at least one High Sheriff of Durham.
in relation to this hall are 1681 Court of Chancery
papers, written when the Jenison family owned it. However it has been suggested that part of it dates from around 1500 and that in the early 16th century it was the dower house
to Walworth Castle
. It is a sizeable 17th or early 18th century house with 19th century additions to the left and rear. It is built of partially rendered
coursed
rubble and ashlar
, brickwork
chimneys and a Welsh slate
roof. The left−hand or western addition to the south−facing main block, with the ball finial on the parapet (see image), is 18th century or earlier and possibly a former barn.
The set of early 19th century outbuildings to the north of the Hall was once a house with stabling and is now a garage and storage building. It has pantiled roofs with stone−flagged
eaves
, squared limestone
walls and brickwork chimneys, and it is listed. The early 19th century garden walls to the left or west of the Hall are also listed. They are built of hand−made red brick with flat stone coping
. They are high walls enclosing three sides of a rose garden with a lower and possibly rebuilt wall on the south side. The eastern wall has a coursed rubble face with an arched doorway in the south−east corner, and the north wall has boarded doors.
Neville Eade lived at Low Walworth from 1931 to 1959 because he and his brother had bought the Walworth Castle
estate in 1931 after the previous owners, Vivian Aylmer and Edmund Aylmer, had died. However Walworth Castle held prisoners of war in World War II
, and was sold to Durham County Council
in 1950. In 1968−1969 the resident of the hall was Peter Guy Edwards, High Sheriff of Durham. On 29 June 2008 the gardens, including the old walled garden
, were opened to the public for a day. The gardens included an African theme planting
and a wildlife lake area.
rubble limestone
, and the square−plan building in front of the two−storeyed threshing barn is a gin gang
, otherwise known as a wheelhouse or horse engine house from which a horse once powered a threshing machine
. The buildings have pantiled roofs with stone−flagged eaves, and the front range has partially−blocked archways.
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, 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...
, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the north−west of the edge of Darlington
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
. It consists of Low Walworth Hall, Low Walworth Farm and their respective cottages, flats and outbuildings. Several of these buildings are listed, and date from the 17th to the 19th century. Attached to one of the late 18th century farm buildings is a gin gang
Gin gang
A gin gang, wheelhouse, roundhouse or horse−engine house, is a structure built to enclose a horse mill, usually circular but sometimes square or octagonal, attached to a threshing barn. Most were built in England in the late 18th and early 19th centuries...
, or building from which a horse powered a threshing machine
Threshing machine
The thrashing machine, or, in modern spelling, threshing machine , was a machine first invented by Scottish mechanical engineer Andrew Meikle for use in agriculture. It was invented for the separation of grain from stalks and husks. For thousands of years, grain was separated by hand with flails,...
by walking in a circle. The hall has accommodated at least one High Sheriff of Durham.
Low Walworth Hall
The earliest documents recognised by English HeritageEnglish Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
in relation to this hall are 1681 Court of Chancery
Court of Chancery
The Court of Chancery was a court of equity in England and Wales that followed a set of loose rules to avoid the slow pace of change and possible harshness of the common law. The Chancery had jurisdiction over all matters of equity, including trusts, land law, the administration of the estates of...
papers, written when the Jenison family owned it. However it has been suggested that part of it dates from around 1500 and that in the early 16th century it was the dower house
Dower house
On an estate, a dower house is usually a moderately large house available for use by the widow of the estate-owner. The widow, often known as the "dowager" usually moves into the dower house from the larger family house on the death of her husband if the heir is married, and upon his marriage if he...
to Walworth Castle
Walworth Castle
Walworth Castle is a 16th century mansion house, built in the style of a medieval castle and situated at Walworth, near Darlington, County Durham, England. It is a Grade 1 listed building. It was completed around 1600, probably by Thomas Holt for Thomas Jenison. It stands on the site of a former...
. It is a sizeable 17th or early 18th century house with 19th century additions to the left and rear. It is built of partially rendered
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
coursed
Course (architecture)
A course is a continuous horizontal layer of similarly-sized building material one unit high, usually in a wall. The term is almost always used in conjunction with unit masonry such as brick, cut stone, or concrete masonry units .-Styles:...
rubble and ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
, brickwork
Brickwork
Brickwork is masonry produced by a bricklayer, using bricks and mortar to build up brick structures such as walls. Brickwork is also used to finish corners, door, and window openings, etc...
chimneys and a Welsh slate
Slate industry in Wales
The slate industry in Wales began during the Roman period when slate was used to roof the fort at Segontium, now Caernarfon. The slate industry grew slowly until the early 18th century, then expanded rapidly until the late 19th century, at which time the most important slate producing areas were in...
roof. The left−hand or western addition to the south−facing main block, with the ball finial on the parapet (see image), is 18th century or earlier and possibly a former barn.
The set of early 19th century outbuildings to the north of the Hall was once a house with stabling and is now a garage and storage building. It has pantiled roofs with stone−flagged
Flagstone
Flagstone, is a generic flat stone, usually used for paving slabs or walkways, patios, fences and roofing. It may be used for memorials, headstones, facades and other constructions. The name derives from Middle English flagge meaning turf, perhaps from Old Norse flaga meaning slab.Flagstone is a...
eaves
Eaves
The eaves of a roof are its lower edges. They usually project beyond the walls of the building to carry rain water away.-Etymology:"Eaves" is derived from Old English and is both the singular and plural form of the word.- Function :...
, squared limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
walls and brickwork chimneys, and it is listed. The early 19th century garden walls to the left or west of the Hall are also listed. They are built of hand−made red brick with flat stone coping
Coping (architecture)
Coping , consists of the capping or covering of a wall.A splayed or wedge coping slopes in a single direction; a saddle coping slopes to either side of a central high point....
. They are high walls enclosing three sides of a rose garden with a lower and possibly rebuilt wall on the south side. The eastern wall has a coursed rubble face with an arched doorway in the south−east corner, and the north wall has boarded doors.
Neville Eade lived at Low Walworth from 1931 to 1959 because he and his brother had bought the Walworth Castle
Walworth Castle
Walworth Castle is a 16th century mansion house, built in the style of a medieval castle and situated at Walworth, near Darlington, County Durham, England. It is a Grade 1 listed building. It was completed around 1600, probably by Thomas Holt for Thomas Jenison. It stands on the site of a former...
estate in 1931 after the previous owners, Vivian Aylmer and Edmund Aylmer, had died. However Walworth Castle held prisoners of war in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and was sold to Durham County Council
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
in 1950. In 1968−1969 the resident of the hall was Peter Guy Edwards, High Sheriff of Durham. On 29 June 2008 the gardens, including the old walled garden
Walled garden
A walled garden is specifically a garden enclosed by high walls for horticultural rather than security purposes, though traditionally all gardens have been hedged about or walled for protection from animal or human intruders...
, were opened to the public for a day. The gardens included an African theme planting
Garden design
Garden design is the art and process of designing and creating plans for layout and planting of gardens and landscapes. Garden design may be done by the garden owner themselves, or by professionals of varying levels of experience and expertise...
and a wildlife lake area.
Low Walworth farm
The late 18th century farm buildings to the north of the farmhouse are listed. They are made of squared and coursedCourse (architecture)
A course is a continuous horizontal layer of similarly-sized building material one unit high, usually in a wall. The term is almost always used in conjunction with unit masonry such as brick, cut stone, or concrete masonry units .-Styles:...
rubble limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, and the square−plan building in front of the two−storeyed threshing barn is a gin gang
Gin gang
A gin gang, wheelhouse, roundhouse or horse−engine house, is a structure built to enclose a horse mill, usually circular but sometimes square or octagonal, attached to a threshing barn. Most were built in England in the late 18th and early 19th centuries...
, otherwise known as a wheelhouse or horse engine house from which a horse once powered a threshing machine
Threshing machine
The thrashing machine, or, in modern spelling, threshing machine , was a machine first invented by Scottish mechanical engineer Andrew Meikle for use in agriculture. It was invented for the separation of grain from stalks and husks. For thousands of years, grain was separated by hand with flails,...
. The buildings have pantiled roofs with stone−flagged eaves, and the front range has partially−blocked archways.
