Streatlam Castle
Encyclopedia
Streatlam Castle was a Baroque
stately home located near the town of Barnard Castle
in County Durham
, England
. Owned by the Bowes-Lyon
family, Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne
, the house was one of the family's two principal seats, alongside Glamis Castle
in Forfarshire, Scotland
. Streatlam incorporated some 1190 acres (4.8 km²) of land, along with an estate consisting of some twenty farm
s. The last occupant was Lord Glamis, heir to the earldom, although the estate was owned by the Earl of Strathmore, his father.
family, such as Gibside
(which lay within a major coalfield
near Gateshead
and so was considered spoilt by pollution from the surrounding coal mines), Streatlam sat amidst the beautiful countryside of the Durham Dales
.
Lord Glamis moved to a substantial farm near East Grinstead
, where he resided until he succeeded his father as Earl of Strathmore in 1944.
Some see it as little surprise that the Earl of Strathmore chose Glamis Castle
over Streatlam, the house being considered architecturally "awkward and unsatisfactory" (as was claimed in Country Life
Magazine in 1915). Also as the aristocratical
titles of the last owner and occupant would suggest, Streatlam was less important in historical terms.
Although there was no pressing financial need to sell at the time , with the family still earning a substantial income from the estate's coal mining holdings, in the end the house was simply considered superfluous. The Earl also owned Howick
and Wemmergill in County Durham
, St Pauls Walden Bury in Hertfordshire
and the Gibside
estate in Gateshead
. It was also a time when many aristocratic families were seeking to cut back on ostentatious displays of wealth following the destruction of the nobility in the Russian Revolution, plus there was a shortage of domestic servants following the First World War.
Lady Strathmore, though ill at the time, hurried down to Streatlam to rescue as many items as possible, many of which were taken to Glamis Castle
. The armorial ceiling, installed at Streatlam by John Bowes, were moved to the Bowes Museum
, which he had established.
Finally in 1959 the shell was blown up as a training exercise by the Territorial Army. Today only Streatlam Park remains.
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
stately home located near the town of Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle is an historical town in Teesdale, County Durham, England. It is named after the castle around which it grew up. It sits on the north side of the River Tees, opposite Startforth, south southwest of Newcastle upon Tyne, south southwest of Sunderland, west of Middlesbrough and ...
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...
. Owned by the Bowes-Lyon
Bowes-Lyon
Bowes-Lyon is a Scottish family; see the following articles for more information, including information on individual members:*Baron Bowes*Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne*Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne*Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon*Gibside...
family, Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne
Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
The title Earl of Kinghorne was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1606 for Patrick Lyon. In 1677, the designation of the earldom changed to "Strathmore and Kinghorne". A second Earldom was bestowed on the fourteenth Earl in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1937, the title being Strathmore...
, the house was one of the family's two principal seats, alongside Glamis Castle
Glamis Castle
Glamis Castle is situated beside the village of Glamis in Angus, Scotland. It is the home of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and is open to the public....
in Forfarshire, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Streatlam incorporated some 1190 acres (4.8 km²) of land, along with an estate consisting of some twenty farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
s. The last occupant was Lord Glamis, heir to the earldom, although the estate was owned by the Earl of Strathmore, his father.
History
The House came to the Bowes family in the mid-Eighteenth century. For much of the nineteenth century, it was owned by John Bowes, the eldest son of the 10th Earl of Strathmore who was illegitimate under Scottish law as his parents married after he was born, but was able to inherit the family's wealth and English properties. Following his death without issue, the estate was reunited with the Earldom in 1885. Unlike the fate of other properties which belonged to the Bowes-LyonBowes-Lyon
Bowes-Lyon is a Scottish family; see the following articles for more information, including information on individual members:*Baron Bowes*Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne*Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne*Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon*Gibside...
family, such as Gibside
Gibside
Gibside is a country estate near Rowlands Gill, Tyne and Wear, North East England that was previously owned by the Bowes-Lyon family. It is now a National Trust property. The main house on the estate is now a shell, although the property is most famous for its chapel...
(which lay within a major coalfield
Coalfield
A coalfield is an area of certain uniform characteristics where coal is mined. The criteria for determining the approximate boundary of a coalfield are geographical and cultural, in addition to geological...
near Gateshead
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
and so was considered spoilt by pollution from the surrounding coal mines), Streatlam sat amidst the beautiful countryside of the Durham Dales
Durham Dales
The Durham Dales is the name given to a large area of landscape in the west of County Durham, consisting primarily of the Durham portion of the North Pennines, in England.- Geography :...
.
Decline and demolition
The last occupier was Lord Glamis, heir to the Earldom, who had been living there since at least 1915. The Earl of Strathmore was determined to sell off the house and the land, however, and the bulk of the estate was sold to private tenants, with the remainder fetching £100,000 at auction.Lord Glamis moved to a substantial farm near East Grinstead
East Grinstead
East Grinstead is a town and civil parish in the northeastern corner of Mid Sussex, West Sussex in England near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders. It lies south of London, north northeast of Brighton, and east northeast of the county town of Chichester...
, where he resided until he succeeded his father as Earl of Strathmore in 1944.
Some see it as little surprise that the Earl of Strathmore chose Glamis Castle
Glamis Castle
Glamis Castle is situated beside the village of Glamis in Angus, Scotland. It is the home of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and is open to the public....
over Streatlam, the house being considered architecturally "awkward and unsatisfactory" (as was claimed in Country Life
Country Life (magazine)
Country Life is a British weekly magazine, based in London at 110 Southwark Street, and owned by IPC Media, a Time Warner subsidiary.- Topics :The magazine covers the pleasures and joys of rural life, as well as the concerns of rural people...
Magazine in 1915). Also as the aristocratical
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
titles of the last owner and occupant would suggest, Streatlam was less important in historical terms.
Although there was no pressing financial need to sell at the time , with the family still earning a substantial income from the estate's coal mining holdings, in the end the house was simply considered superfluous. The Earl also owned Howick
Howick
Howick can refer to:Places*Howick, KwaZulu-Natal**Howick Falls*Howick, Lancashire, a small town in England*Howick, Monmouthshire*Howick, New Zealand**Howick Historical Village*Howick, Northumberland, a small town in England**Howick house...
and Wemmergill 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...
, St Pauls Walden Bury in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
and the Gibside
Gibside
Gibside is a country estate near Rowlands Gill, Tyne and Wear, North East England that was previously owned by the Bowes-Lyon family. It is now a National Trust property. The main house on the estate is now a shell, although the property is most famous for its chapel...
estate in Gateshead
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
. It was also a time when many aristocratic families were seeking to cut back on ostentatious displays of wealth following the destruction of the nobility in the Russian Revolution, plus there was a shortage of domestic servants following the First World War.
Lady Strathmore, though ill at the time, hurried down to Streatlam to rescue as many items as possible, many of which were taken to Glamis Castle
Glamis Castle
Glamis Castle is situated beside the village of Glamis in Angus, Scotland. It is the home of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and is open to the public....
. The armorial ceiling, installed at Streatlam by John Bowes, were moved to the Bowes Museum
Bowes Museum
The Bowes Museum has a nationally renowned art collection and is situated in the town of Barnard Castle, Teesdale, County Durham, England.The museum contains an El Greco, paintings by Francisco Goya, Canaletto, Jean-Honoré Fragonard, François Boucher and a sizable collection of decorative art,...
, which he had established.
Finally in 1959 the shell was blown up as a training exercise by the Territorial Army. Today only Streatlam Park remains.