Trifter

BEAMISH Hall in County Durham has been the aristocratic home of the Shafto Family, whose wealth came from shipping and coal and the Percy Family Earls and dukes of Northumberland.  It has its own resident ghost, the Grey Lady.  Now the Grade II listed building has become a luxury hotel.        

There has been a Beamish Hall since the time of the Norman Conquest.  It was an important fortified manor throughout the Middle Ages and the Border wars.

Bobby Shafto’s family gained the hall through marriage and occupied it until 1952 when death duties forced its sale.  The Shafto connection is still acknowledged by a large scale model of Bobby Shafto’s ship and a carpet which bears the Shafto coat of arms.

After the sale, Beamish Hall became the Regional HQ for the National Coal Board before opening as a residential college for Durham University.  This college was to be the nucleus of the neighbouring Beamish Open Air Museum, which has won many prizes.

The Grey Lady, according to a centuries old legend, was the daughter of one of Beamish’s aristocratic families.  It became a Romeo and Juliet story when she had an ill-starred love affair with the son of an adversarial nobleman who lived in nearby Pockerley Manor, now a major part of the museum.

Beamish Hall opened as a conference and wedding centre in 2000, but it was unable to raise the large investment that was needed for its full restoration.  Local entrepreneur David Craggs bought the 24 acre estate in the summer of 2004 and began a 30 month refurbishment plan.

His first phase was the improvement of the already existing conference and wedding facilities.  David now tends to have an average of five weddings a week throughout the year.

“Brides to be have a very definite picture of where they want to get married,” he said.  “As they come up the driveway, they can see that Beamish Hall completely fills that picture.”

Later the first 13 bedrooms, each with a double Jacuzzi were completed.

“They are palatial and in terms of luxury are second to none,” he went on.  “We have looked at the hotels of this type in the region and are trying to go a step further.”

Now a total of 60 bedrooms have been refurbished in three phases.

“We could do more, but decided that rather than divide up some of the larger rooms we would go for better quality,” David explains.  “We know that the bedrooms are fully booked and that this will have a knock-on effect on the restaurant.”

Excellent Sunday lunches are served in the restaurant, which was once the Shafto family lounge.

Beamish Hall hosts many other events in addition to weddings.  These have ranged from Masonic Lodge meetings through wedding exhibitions, presentations and charity fund raising events to Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties.

“We actively encourage people to come a have a look around because we found that a large proportion of them were booking.”

David Craggs has held discussions with other leisure business to create an association the district.  These include a neighbouring riding school, shooting club and the nearby Beamish Golf Club.

Beamish Hall stands on the A693 road between Chester le Street and Stanley and can be contacted on 01207 233733.