Hebburn, fortified manor house

HER Number:
979

District:
S Tyneside

Site Name:
Hebburn, fortified manor house

Place:
Hebburn

Map Sheet:
NZ36SW

Class:
Domestic

Site Type: Broad:
House

Site Type: Specific:
Manor House

General Period:
Medieval

Specific Period:

Form of Evidence:
Documentary Evidence

Description:
The present Hebburn Hall dates to the 17th century with late 18th and 19th century alterations. Its predecessor, according to Surtees writing in 1820, was an "old mansion house...built with some view to defence, trenching on the Castle like the Border towers". It was later reported that "the builder of the mansion took down the old tower (with the exception of one length of massive walling 4.5 feet thick), as well as the Elizabethan additions that had been made to it, and used up the materials in the new edifice. Some of the mullions and sills of the narrow windows of the tower were found in the walls when the recent transformations were made". The house was further altered in the 1880s when the Ellisons finally left. Though part of the house is said to survive at the west end, in what became a vicarage, the evidence for its early appearance is circumstantial. A site visit in November 2001 during restoration work to Hebburn Hall revealed three stone corbels which had previously been hidden under a suspended ceiling. The thick stone wall mentioned above was also identified. Though these undoubtably belong to the medieval building, further research will be required to ascertain exactly which part of the building they represent. The corbels presumably supported a parapet.

Easting:
311

Northing:
642

Grid Reference:
NZ311642

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 979 >> R. Surtees, 1820, History…of Durham, II, p. Monthly Chronicle, 1890, Hebburn Hall, January, pp. 42-3 Ellison, C188, ZCE 19.1 -Northumberland Records Office Ellison, 19th century, Family papers, Vol. 4 Dept. of Environment Lists of Buildings of…Architectural or Historic Interest, 1985, Borough of South Tyneside (excluding former borough of South Shields), p. 26 N. Pevsner, rev. E. Williamson, 1983, County Durham, Buildings of England, p. 321; R. Hewitt, Tyne and Wear Museums, 2004, Hebburn Hall, Hebburn - Archaeological Building Recording; Simpson & Brown and South Tyneside Council, 2007, Hebburn Hall Conservation Area - First draft Character Appraisal; www.hebburn.org; www.norman.dunn247.com; www.999hebburn.co.uk