From its bucolic setting and storied past to its impeccable interiors, there is nothing ordinary about the West Wing at Stagshaw House. Set near the village of Corbridge in the heart of Hadrian’s Wall country, Stagshaw House is a Grade II listed house dating to the early 1500s that affords sweeping views over landscaped gardens and the lush Tyne Valley. Owned by the Straker family since 1868, the current generation has renovated the West Wing to create an elegant three-bedroom property.
Built in the 1920s in the Georgian style of the main house, with blonde stone punctured by towering sash windows and topped with slate roofs, the West Wing boasts a private entrance accessed by sandstone steps that descend through its dedicated garden. The integrity of the West Wing’s interiors is apparent from the moment you enter the grand entrance hall with its parquet flooring, elegant arches leading to a cloakroom (with original timber Thunderbox), and an intricately carved four-turn staircase. Vibrant yellow Craig & Rose paint in the cloakroom hints at the design credentials of Birdie Burnell, who has lived at Stagshaw House with her husband Guy and family since 2019.
Having already played a significant role in updating the main house, Birdie has retained all the original splendour of the West Wing. Staying true to her ethos of using natural fabrics and textiles from artisanal British manufacturers wherever possible, and repurposing antique furniture from Stagshaw House, her family home in Herefordshire and local shops, she has created a sophisticated home that blends authentic grandeur with home comforts.
The light-filled kitchen and dining room, lined by windows and joined by a soaring archway, are reminiscent of a traditional scullery, featuring a large stone fireplace with a wood burner, an antique worktable, large range and bookshelves laden with cookery books.
The first-floor landing is lined with black and white horseracing photographs, reflecting the equestrian passion and skill of previous generations of the Straker family. The landing leads to the spectacular sitting room, whose trio of towering 12-pane windows look south over Stagshaw House’s expansive gardens. The far-reaching views vie for attention with the room’s original hand-painted Chinoiserie wallpaper and ornately carved fireplace, making it a memorable spot for sunlit afternoon teas and fire-warmed sundowners.
The West Wing’s bedrooms are also located on the first floor, comprising an ensuite double bedroom and a master suite and twin room that share a Jack and Jill bathroom. These tranquil spaces feature Hypnos beds as well as wallpaper and fabrics from Chelsea Textiles, woollen curtains made by Scotland’s 18th-century Isle Mill weavers, and delicate floral wallpaper by Cole & Son.
Each room bears the hallmarks of Birdie’s love for antiques, reclamation and reviving historical heirlooms. A Bergère headboard salvaged from France is topped by a canopy she unearthed in the Stagshaw House attic and swagged with Chelsea Textiles fabrics. An antique french sleigh style bed belonging to Birdie's grandmother has been freshly upholstered in a Guy Goodfellow linen, while the palatial ensuite bathroom features a rolltop bath found in the stables, and a bathroom basin created from an antique chest of drawers and custom-made marble surface.
The West Wing benefits from access to its own west-facing garden, with sweeping lawns, mature borders and a bench that curves invitingly around a tree trunk. Guests are further able to explore the estate’s rhododendron-filled woodlands and stroll to the tranquility of the Chapel.
ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATION
For larger parties looking to holiday together, The West Wing can be booked in conjunction with The Cartshed, sleeping 6 guests, which sits approx 0.3 miles away.
Getting availability
