Benwell, Benwell Lane, The Mitre PH (Benwell Towers)

HER Number:
9042

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Benwell, Benwell Lane, The Mitre PH (Benwell Towers)

Place:
Benwell

Map Sheet:
NZ26SW

Class:
Domestic

Site Type: Broad:
Dwelling

Site Type: Specific:
House

General Period:
Early Modern

Specific Period:
C19

Form of Evidence:
Extant Building

Description:
House, later bishop's house and chapel, now public house. 1831 by John Dobson for Thomas Crawhall; chapel added 1887. Ashlar with plinth; rendered ashlar and coursed squared sandstone left wing; Welsh slate roof to chapel. Main house roof not visible, other roofs graduated Lakeland slate and Welsh slate. Main house: irregular plan, castle style. 2 high storeys, scattered fenestration. Projecting third bay contains double panelled door in Tudor arch. Windows of 2, 3 and 4 lights, some blind, with chamfered stone mullions and transoms and drip moulds. Battlemented parapet to roof with central turret. Left wing: 2 storeys, 8 bays and 3-bay house at left in plain style; sash windows and blind windows; hipped roofs. Former chapel at rear in Perpendicular style has 4 bays and linking bay with oriel window. Interior shows closed-string stair with barley-sugar balustrade, grip handrail and newels with pendants. Library has Jacobean-style panelling and ceiling. Panelled ceilings with Tudor bosses in other ground floor rooms; marble chimney pieces. Historical note: donated in 1881 by J.W. Pease, the Quaker banker, to the Diocese of Newcastle created in 1882. The previous building on the site, the home of the Shafto family; incorporated a tower house. Sources: W.H.Knowles "Benwell Tower, Newcastle" Archaeologia Aeliana series 2 vol. XIX, pp 88-98; W.S.F. Pickering (ed.) A Social History of the Diocese of Newcastle 1882-1982 1982, pp 47-49. LISTED GRADE 2

Easting:
2117

Northing:
6448

Grid Reference:
NZ21176448

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
Department of National Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural and Historic Interest, 11/94; N. Pevsner and I. Richmond, second edition revised by G. McCombie, P. Ryder and H. Welfare, 1992, The Buildings of England - Northumberland, page 515; W.H.Knowles "Benwell Tower, Newcastle" Archaeologia Aeliana series 2 vol. XIX, pp 88-98; W.S.F. Pickering (ed.) 1982, A Social History of the Diocese of Newcastle 1882-1982, pp 47-49; T. Faulkner and A. Greg, 1987, John Dobson Newcastle Architect 1787-1865; T. Quinn, 1990, Bygone Benwell; Archaeological Research Services, 2010, The Mitre, Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne - Archaeological Assessment and Building Recording; Bennison, B, 1998, Lost Weekends, A History of Newcastle's Public Houses, Vol 3, The West