West Bitchfield
WEST BITCHFIELD
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1303894
- Date first listed:
- 27-Aug-1952
- List Entry Name:
- West Bitchfield
- Statutory Address:
- WEST BITCHFIELD
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1303894
- Date first listed:
- 27-Aug-1952
- List Entry Name:
- West Bitchfield
- Statutory Address 1:
- WEST BITCHFIELD
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:
- WEST BITCHFIELD
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Northumberland (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Belsay
- National Grid Reference:
- NZ 09078 77061
Details
BELSAY WEST BITCHFTELD NZ 07 NE
10/77 West Bitchfield 27.8.52
GV I
House. C14 tower with additions of C16 and C17. Extensively restored and east wing added 1935 by Caroë and Lord Gort. Dressed stone and ashlar with Welsh slate roof.
3-storey tower to left with 2-storey, 6-bay house attached to right and C20 wing on extreme right.
Tower: partly ruinous in 1930's. South side has C17 doorway with moulded surround; on south-east corner at 2nd floor level the start of a rounded corbel for a corner turret (cf. Belsay Castle). On west side several slit windows and one C16 window with moulded surround; other windows are 2- and 3-light mullioned windows of 1935.
Attached hall and former kitchen wing, refaced in late C17, has steps up to central 2-leaf, 6-panel door in surround with bolection moulding, pulvinated oak-leaf frieze and scrolled pediment. Mullioned-and-transomed cross windows, with roll-moulded sills and cornices on ground floor. The crosses are renewed. Sundial of 1711 above door, brought from Belsay in C20. Moulded cornice, and panelled parapet added 1935. Gabled roof with external stacks.
C20 wing recessed to right in similar style.
Rear facade is irregular. It has tower to right with one cruciform slit window. Left of the tower is the hall with enormous external chimney stack. Left of this a projecting 3-storey C16 staircase wing which has, on ground floor two 2-light windows with segmental heads to lights; scattered fenestration with 2- and 3-light mullioned windows above. Left of this the former kitchen, now the dining room, with another enormous external chimney now covered on ground floor by 1935 entrance, with doorway in C17 style. 1935 wing to left.
Interior: Tower has vaulted ground floor and stair in thickness of wall; C14 door with pointed arch and continuous chamfered surround (cf. Belsay) between tower and hall. 1st floor ceiling with broach-stopped beams brought from elsewhere; on 1st and 2nd floors two C17 fireplaces with moulded surrounds.
Drawing room (former hall) has large fireplace with bolection-moulded surround, and Palladian doorcase with pulvinated frieze.
Late C17 staircase with dumb-bell balusters.
Dining room has large fireplace with segmental head and a doorway with Tudor- arched lintel inscribed RF 1622 IF for Fenwick.
Country Life Vol. LXXXVIII p. 278. Archaeologia Aeliana 3rd Series Vol. XVIII p. 101-116.
Listing NGR: NZ0907877061
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 238563
- Legacy System:
- LBS
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 10-Jun-2026 at 05:46:53.
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.