The West Wing of Capheaton Hall is a laidback-luxury family home set in a sprawling country estate in rural Northumberland. The prestigious Capheaton Estate has belonged to the Swinburne family since 1260, resulting in a remarkable legacy that the current owners, Willy and Eliza Browne-Swinburne, are continuing to nurture.
The estate encompasses 500 acres of woodland, walled gardens and landscaped parkland that extends down to a large lake as well as the historic Capheaton Hall, a Grade I listed Baroque-style mansion dating to 1669, and a small village. Having grown up in Capheaton Hall, Willy Browne-Swinburne is deeply committed to the ongoing restoration of the grand house as well as the maintenance of the estate’s gardens, woods and habitats.
The Browne-Swinburnes have transformed The West Wing into a welcoming family home adjoining their own home, inviting guests to share their passion for the surrounding grounds and kitchen garden. Indeed, guests are encouraged to enjoy the walled kitchen garden, where they may see the Estate Gardener, Ryan or Willy himself working on the vegetable plots and plant beds. While not nosing around the vegetable gardens and herbaceous borders, guests are also invited to enjoy the tennis court and croquet lawn (you’ll find the set indoors if it’s not already set up).
The West Wing itself is a regal stone property studded with soaring sash windows that look across the Capability Brown-style gardens of Capheaton. The ground floor comprises a convivial family kitchen with a dining table, a more formal dining area complete with a fireplace and piano, and a large sitting room with towering windows and a roaring fire set in an ornately carved stone fireplace.
Upstairs, two large double bedrooms feature en-suite bathrooms (one with a large walk-in shower and the other with a bath and shower attachment) while a further two twin rooms (one of which can be configured as a king-size bed) share a family bathroom with a clawfoot bath by the window. By no means just for children, don’t miss the opportunity to soak in the bath while lapping up those far-reaching views yourself!
In addition to strolls and games in the grounds of Capheaton Hall, guests can admire dozens of species of wildfowl and wading birds at Sir Edward’s Lake, a short walk from the house. Only slightly further afield, the splendid Belsay Hall, castle and gardens and National Trust Wallington house and gardens are both ten minutes’ drive away while keen golfers will find a wide choice of golf courses in the local area.
ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATION
There are four other holiday properties available for let at Capheaton Estate which sit just outside the main access drive which is less than a 10-minute walk -
Lakeside Cottage - Alice, sleeping 4,
Lakeside Cottage - Emily, sleeping 2 and
Lakeside Cottage - Edward, sleeping 2.
The School House, Capheaton sits next to the Lakeside Cottages and sleeps 6 guests.