Jesmond Dene, Jesmond Dene House

HER Number:
5706

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Jesmond Dene, Jesmond Dene House

Place:
Jesmond

Map Sheet:
NZ26NE

Class:
Domestic

Site Type: Broad:
House

Site Type: Specific:
Country House

General Period:
Early Modern

Specific Period:
C19

Form of Evidence:
Extant Building

Description:
House, later used as school. 1822 by John Dobson for T.E. Headlam. Extensive additions and alterations - porch dated 1897 added by F.W. Rich for Sir Andrew Noble (one of Armstrong's partners). Originally known as Black Dene, it was renamed Jesmond Dene House in 1851. Rock-faced sandstone with chiselled margins, ashlar dressings and plinth. Left range has upper-timber frame with infill of pebble-dash render. Tiled roofs with roll-moulded gable copings. Tudor style. 2 storeys and attics. Interior - typical late 19th century magnate's house, eclectic and rich. Special features - Frosterly marble fenders, William de Morgan tiles on sitting room fireplace, Great Hall with elaborate Jacobean panelling and carving to chimney piece, and small staircase alongside in huge alcove, multi-moulded beams and joists to roof with corbelled arch trusses and central bosses. Sir Andrew Noble, one of Armstrong's partners and a ballistics expert acquired the house in 1871. The extensions added for Noble almost obliterate Dobson's house. The rear wing was added in 1870-1, the rooms at the front 1875 and the billiard room, by Norman Shaw in 1885. The porch by F.W. Rich was added in 1897. Many distinguished guests stayed here, such as Rudyard Kipling and Baden Powell. Subterranean network of tunnels for cold storage under the house, later utilised as air raid shelters when the house became the HQ for the Home Guard during WW2 (see HER 1953). LISTED GRADE 2

Easting:
2546

Northing:
6723

Grid Reference:
NZ25466723

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 5706 >> Dept. of National Heritage, of Buildings of Special … Interest, 9/321 N. Pevsner and I. Richmond, second edition revised by G. McCombie, P. Ryder and H. Welfare, 1992, The Buildings of England: Northumberland, p 512; Pre-Construct Archaeology, 2004, Archaeological Recording of Jesmond Dene House, Jesmond, Newcastle-upon Tyne; T. Faulkner and A. Greg, 1987, John Dobson Newcastle Architect 1787-1865, pp 18 and 19; J. Donald, 1976, Historical Walking Tour of Jesmond (Newcastle Local Studies Library, Jesmond Miscellaneous Articles, Vol 1, pp 36-41); Proceedings of Newcastle Council, Dec 1930, 'Jesmond Dene House and Grounds' p. 54, Proceedings of Newcastle Council, January 1931, p. 55; Evening Chronicle 16 September 1954, 'Old Mansion gets new look' p. 60; J. Donald, 1995, Not Just Bricks and Mortar, p. 25; Alan Morgan, 2010, Jesmond from mines to mansions, page 56