Belsay Hall Stables, Belsay, Morpeth

By Mike Quinn, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Belsay Hall is made up of two main buildings. A medieval castle that was enlarged in the 17th Century and a Greek Revival mansion that was used as a family residence at the beginning of the 19th Century [1].

The Middleton family has lived at the estate since the 13th Century. They are first recorded there in 1270, when Sir Richard De Middleton, owned the estate [1].

By Belsay Hall by David Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

In 1317, his grandson John joined a local rebellion and both men were eventually captured and executed in London for treason. As a result, the estate was then forfeited and granted to a succession of owners before returning to the Middleton family by marriage in 1391. It has since then remained in their possession, however it is managed by English Heritage [1].

During the Second World War, the hall was occupied by the Army and the gardens not maintained. The bedrooms and servants quarters were occupied by soldiers [1].

The Castle in 1955 – Francis Frith Collection [2]

The Middletons returned for a while after the war, opening up the castle and gardens to bring some income in. However in 1962 Sir Stephen Middleton, decided to move to Swanstead which was a more manageable house on the estate. The contents of the mansion were sold off [1].

The hall, castle and gardens were taken into guardianship of the state in 1980 and there was an extensive restoration job which resulted in much of the wood and plasterwork being stripped out from many rooms in the hall [1].

The hall is now displayed without any furnishings [1].

The Clock Itself

The clock of Belsay Hall is by Jonathan Paine, London and was made in 1832 [4].

The Belsay Hall Clock – English Heritage (YouTube Video) [3]

The clock’s frame is what I believe is called a ‘chair frame’ and has a recoil escapement (with pallets that look like a deadbeat!). It has been hand-wound by the family for almost 180 years [3].