Cragside
CRAGSIDE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1042076
- Date first listed:
- 21-Oct-1953
- List Entry Name:
- Cragside
- Statutory Address:
- CRAGSIDE
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1042076
- Date first listed:
- 21-Oct-1953
- List Entry Name:
- Cragside
- Statutory Address 1:
- CRAGSIDE
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- CRAGSIDE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Northumberland (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Rothbury
- National Grid Reference:
- NU 07375 02173
Details
CARTINGTON CRAGSIDE NU 0702 24/11 Cragside 21/10/53 GV I
Country House. 1864, greatly enlarged 1870-2, 1872-7 and 1883-5 by Norman Shaw, and Billiard Room extension 1895 by Frederick Waller, for Sir William George Armstrong, 1st Lord Armstrong. Snecked stone with rock-faced-and- margined quoins and ashlar dressings; some timber framing with pebbledashed infill; red clay tile roofs except for leaded part-glazed roof to Drawing Room and Welsh slates on Billiard Room.
Dramatic site cut into steep valleyside; irregular ranges around small court closed by rock face on east. Central Tower in west range; Gilnockie Tower at east end of south range forms a link with Drawing Room and Billiard Room at higher level to south-east. Eclectic style with mixed Gothic, Tudor and Renaissance motifs.
South (Entrance) front: irregular facade in 3 parts. 3-storey 3-bay left section has 2 timber-framed gables and an attic dormer; central moulded entrance arch with inner half-glazed panelled double doors, and large mullioned- and-transomed window over. Central part 2 storeys and blind jettied top floor, 2 bays, has a larger moulded archway through to the courtyard. Right bay is 5-storey Gilnockie Tower, with gabled top floor set back behind stepped parapet; and hexagonal wooden cupola with swept lead dome and weathervane. Projecting right wing, 2-storeyed on west and l-storeyed on east with hill slope; on west and south faces large bay windows, massive projecting stack on south, castellated parapets. At higher level on far right is large detached chimney stack served by subterranean flues.
Irregular west front in several planes. 4-bay right section is 1864 house, heightened 1872-7 by Shaw; 3 storeys except for 6-storey central Tower rising behind 2nd bay. Twin-gabled left bay; timber-framed top floor to right bays. Tower has stepped crenellated parapet below timber-framed top floor with jettied gable. 2-bay left section of 1870-7: Semi-octagonal bay window on left supports balcony to recessed timber-framed 2nd floor.
North front 1 + 4 bays. Main 3-storey part has 1874 gateway on left: large moulded archway to courtyard flanked by stepped clasping buttresses. 3rd bay has full-height canted bay window, with multi-shafted chimney to right. To left is 1½-storey bay with timber-framed gable set back behind parapet.
Stone-mullioned windows, some with transoms, except in timber-framed sections, mostly with plate glass except for some leaded small-paned casements. Various carved panels and details, notably to timberwork of Central Tower. Moulded parapets, gable copings and finials. Tall chimneys with clustered octagonal or spiral-fluted shafts.
Largely complete Victorian interior. Stone Entrance Hall with panelled bays on either side and moulded arches, one leading to passage with De Morgan majolica tiles. Library with elaborate panelled and coffered ceiling, frieze with painted floral panels, high panelled dado and large chimney piece of onyx, copper and pictorial tiles; Morris glass (life of St. George) in top lights of windows. Dining Room has deeply-coffered moulded ceiling and high embattled dado with carved frieze; inglenook fireplace under semicircular arch, the fireplace, arch and frieze above all carved. Large kitchen with 2 ranges, hydraulically-turned spit and dumb waiter. In basement below Library, a complete bath-house suite with tiled plunge bath.Open-well stair with carved heraldic beasts on newels.
Upstairs landing and passages with De Morgan tiles. Gallery, with arch-braced timber roof and glazed top panels, leads to Drawing Room: Huge inglenook fireplace and chimneypiece by W.R. Lethaby, in Italian marbles, carved throughout with Renaissance motifs and reaching to top of barreled roof. Roof has elaborate plaster side panels and glazed centre; moulded archway to bay window. Billiard Room with panelled fireplace wall and Baroque arcades.
Cragside was the home of the 1st Lord Armstrong (1810-1900), industrialist and inventor. The house was the scene of many technological innovations; it was the first in the world to be lit by electricity derived from water power. 'Cragside', National Trust guide 1981, S. Pettit & S. Saint.
Listing NGR: NU0737502173
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 236348
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Pettit, S, Saint, S, Cragside, (1981)
Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 31 Northumberland,
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 14-Jun-2026 at 22:00:37.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.