Gibside Estate, Gibside Hall

The original Gibside Hall was built by William Blakiston between 1603 and 1620 as a three storey mansion. When George Bowes took possession of Gibside in 1693 he made changes to the hall, adding 14 sash windows, moving the kitchens and adding a library. Sir George Bowes (1701 - 1760), a founder of the Grand Allies of Durham Coal owners, developed the estate, commissioning the design of several buildings. He also seems to have been responsible for the landscaping of the grounds. The Hall was altered to two storeys with "battlements" by John Bowes in 1805. In 1805 the 10th Earl of Strathmore removed a storey, replacing it with a high battlemented parapet as we see it today. The windows of the four bays are divided by heavy stone mullions. The sun dial above the front porch bears the motto: "UTI HORA, SIC VITA" (as an hour, so is life). Over the door are the initials of William and Jane Blakiston with the date 1620 and his arms quartering Marley. Above are the Royal arms of James I, flanked by sculptured figures. During the 20th century the house fell into disrepair, culiminating in the removal of the roof tiles in the 1950s. The building is now a roofless shell, although the back of the house appears almost entire. A dendrochronology sample in 2002 gave a felling date of AD 1471 for an inserted lintel of reused timber. Consolidation work began in 2004. SCHEDULED ANCIENT MONUMENT AND LISTED GRADE 2*