Windlestone Hall
Encyclopedia
Windlestone Hall is a 19th century country house in the ownership of Durham County Council, situated near Rushyford
, County Durham
, England
. It is a Listed building.
The Eden family who held the manor of Windlestone in the 17th century were Royalists
during the English Civil War
and Colonel Robert Eden who had served in the King's army was obliged to compound for the return of his confiscated estate. Following the Restoration of the Monarchy
in 1660, his grandson, also Robert Eden, was created a Baronet in 1672, (see Eden Baronets
).
In 1835, the fifth Baronet, Robert Johnson Eden, replaced the 16th century manor house with a new mansion designed by architect Ignatius Bonomi
. The two storey house presents a twelve bay ballustraded frontage to the east. A ballustraded Doric order
colonnade
extends across nine bays of the ground floor. The north ends in a large apse
. A billiard room was attached to the north east in the mid 19th century.
On the death of the fifth Baronet in 1844, the estate and Baronetcy passed to his first cousin once removed, Sir William Eden, who was already the fourth Eden of Maryland Baronet. He was High Sheriff of Durham in 1848.
The house was the birthplace in 1897 of Anthony Eden, who entered parliament as a Conservative Party
Member of Parliament
in 1923, later serving as a cabinet minister before serving as prime minister from 1955 to 1957. At the time of his death in 1977, he was living in Wiltshire
.
The house and estate were used as a Prisoner of war
Camp during World War II
. Between 1957 and 2006, it was occupied by Windlestone Hall School, a local authority residential special school.
Rushyford
Rushyford is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated between Darlington and Durham....
, 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...
. It is a Listed building.
The Eden family who held the manor of Windlestone in the 17th century were Royalists
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
and Colonel Robert Eden who had served in the King's army was obliged to compound for the return of his confiscated estate. Following the Restoration of the Monarchy
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
in 1660, his grandson, also Robert Eden, was created a Baronet in 1672, (see Eden Baronets
Eden Baronets
The Eden Baronetcy, of West Auckland in the County of Durham, and the Eden Baronetcy, of Maryland in North America, are two titles in the Baronetage of England and Baronetage of Great Britain respectively that have been united under a single holder since 1844.The Eden Baronetcy of West Auckland was...
).
In 1835, the fifth Baronet, Robert Johnson Eden, replaced the 16th century manor house with a new mansion designed by architect Ignatius Bonomi
Ignatius Bonomi
Ignatius Bonomi was an English architect and surveyor, with Italian origins by his father, strongly associated with Durham in north-east England....
. The two storey house presents a twelve bay ballustraded frontage to the east. A ballustraded Doric order
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
colonnade
Colonnade
In classical architecture, a colonnade denotes a long sequence of columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, or part of a building....
extends across nine bays of the ground floor. The north ends in a large apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
. A billiard room was attached to the north east in the mid 19th century.
On the death of the fifth Baronet in 1844, the estate and Baronetcy passed to his first cousin once removed, Sir William Eden, who was already the fourth Eden of Maryland Baronet. He was High Sheriff of Durham in 1848.
The house was the birthplace in 1897 of Anthony Eden, who entered parliament as a Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
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,...
in 1923, later serving as a cabinet minister before serving as prime minister from 1955 to 1957. At the time of his death in 1977, he was living in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
.
The house and estate were used as a Prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
Camp during 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...
. Between 1957 and 2006, it was occupied by Windlestone Hall School, a local authority residential special school.