Newcastle South / Durham

Beamish Hall Country House Hotel

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Reservations opening times

Monday to Friday: 8.00am-8.00pm
Saturday: 9.00am-5.00pm
Sunday: 10.00am-4.00pm

Beamish Hall Country House Hotel Overview

Set in 24 acres of beautiful wooded parkland, Beamish Hall has been restored to its original splendour and is now an exclusive Country House Hotel, just 12 miles from the City of Durham and 9 miles south of Newcastle.

Upon entering Beamish Hall you are faced with a beautiful, light and spacious reception area. The ambience is grand and traditional retaining many of its original features including high decorative ceilings, stained glass windows and ornate fireplaces that depict some of the historical crests associated with Beamish Hall. There is a dramatic single sweeping staircase to the right of the reception area.

The beautifully appointed bedrooms are non-smoking and individually decorated with luxurious fittings, antique furniture and lavish fabrics sourced from around the world. Deluxe Rooms are larger, whilst Premier Rooms are extremely spacious and the ultimate in style and splendour, with the best views. There is also an apartment. Guests enjoy free wifi access.

The Stables Restaurant and Pub is a genuinely relaxing environment. Stone floors, old beams, solid furniture, crackling log fires in winter and fabulous courtyard for summer fresco dining. Sourcing local food from local farmers, growers and producers wherever possible, with a full range of top quality Real ales brewed on site.

The Stables also offers a fabulous array of cocktails and non alcoholic drinks. In the warmer months, a stroll in the beautiful grounds or a quiet drink on the terrace are the perfect appetizer prior to sampling the mouth-watering cuisine served in the Restaurant.

Situated within the magnificent grounds of Beamish Hall is Beamish Wild Bird of Prey Conservation Centre, dedicated to the preservation of all species of bird of prey and Ropes Activity Centre, the North East's new highwire adventure course. The Ropes Activity Centre also provides fantastic outdoor fun and adventure for corporate groups and team building events.

Guests at Beamish Hall can also enjoy the facilities of Beamish Park Golf Club. And nearby is Beamish Museum, a recreation of life in the North East in the early 1800s and 1900s. Tanfield railway, a mile away is the worlds oldest working railway, and Beamish Lakes, about half a mile away is an all trout fishing lake.

Beamish Hall provides the ideal venue for all types of meetings, conferences and events. The grandeur, character and glamour of this beautiful 12th Century house lends itself to hosting small private parties in the elegant State room and up to 400 guests in the magnificent Winter Garden. Teambuilding programmes utilise the inspirational grounds surrounding the Hall.

Bedroom Accommodation

The bedrooms at Beamish Hall Hotel are individually decorated and designed to reflect the gradeur of the original building. All 36 en-suite non-smoking bedrooms are individually decorated and offer tea/coffee making facilities, direct dial telephone, freeview TV, hairdryer, heating control, Wifi internet access, electric shaver point, 24 hour room service, antique furnishings, luxurious bathrooms with chrome showerheads, iron & ironing board, smoke alarms and duvets.

Check-in from 3.00pm
Check-out at 11.00am

Classic Double Rooms - Individually decorated in a traditional style with antique beds and furniture. All Classic rooms feature an en-suite bathroom with bath and shower combination.
Deluxe Doubles - Expect all the luxury of a Classic bedroom with greater space and inspiring views of the hotel grounds and surrounding countryside. En-suite bathrooms feature separate bath and shower.
Premier Doubles - Relax in the splendor of these extremely spacious rooms furnished with antiques sourced from all over the world, and enjoy the best views of the surrounding grounds and countryside. En suite bathrooms feature a Jacuzzi whirlpool bath.
Family Rooms - Deluxe or Premier rooms with additional beds or cots as required.
Interconnecting Premier rooms are available

Free wifi Internet Access
Safe deposit at reception
Lift access to most floors
Dry cleaning & laundry service

Weddings

Packages

Extras

Hotel Heritage & History

The history of Beamish Hall can be traced right back to the Norman conquest. The name Beamish derives from the old French `Bew Mys' meaning `Beautiful Mansion'. Five generations of the Monbouchers originally occupied the Beamish Manor, the last family member dying in 1400.

Since then Beamish Hall has been home to several generations of prominent families and famous people, including the former Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden, and the Shaftoe family of Bobby Shaftoe song fame.

The Beamish estate in County Durham was purchased around 1683 by Timothy Davison, a merchant and alderman of Newcastle upon Tyne. It stayed with the Davisons until 1774, when it passed to Sir John Eden, who was the nephew of Morton Davison. The second son of Sir John Eden, Morton John Eden, took the name Davison on succeeding to the estate in 1812 and died unmarried in 1841. He was followed by Sir Robert Johnson Eden of Windlestone, County Durham, elder son of Sir John Eden, who died unmarried in 1844.

John Methold, son of Sir John Eden's daughter Dorothea and her husband Henry Methold, who took the name Eden in 1844 took over the estate and died in 1885. He was followed by Thomas Duncombe Shafto, who took the name Eden, and was the son of Sir John Eden's daughter Catherine and her husband Robert Eden Duncombe Shafto of Whitworth Park, County Durham.

Slingsby Arthur Duncombe Shafto, nephew of Thomas Duncombe Shafto, who took the name Eden, took over the estate and later died in 1904, when the estate passed to the Shafto family.

The estate included properties in various parts of County Durham. The nucleus was the manor of Beamish and nearby land and collieries, which were all originally in Chester-le-Street parish.

Robert Charles Duncombe Shafto of Beamish who was married to his second cousin Rosa Edith Marguerite Duncombe Shafto, took over the Hall. They had three sons and a daughter. Rosa's eldest son Robert Duncombe Shafto, inherited the Beamish Shafto estate upon the death of his father Robert Charles Duncombe Shafto in 1949, which led to the disposal of the estate to pay off massive death duties.

Between 1953 and 1967 it was the headquarters of the National Coal Board. From Coal Board offices it became a college complete with dorms, to an activity weekend centre to a state of dilapidation, as it stood empty until August 2000.

In 2004 the Craggs Family bought the Hall privately. The building was restored to its former glory after many years of neglect and turned into a impressive 4 star hotel, although work on the older parts of the building is still ongoing today.

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If you like the idea of staying in a haunted house, the legend of the Grey Lady is just one of the many ghosts said to haunt Beamish Hall.

Legend has it that the grey lady was in love with Mr Shafto, but was promised to another by her father. On the day of her wedding, she ran to Beamish Hall to escape from her appointed suitor and hid in a casket in the lowest cellars within the hall.

A major search was undertaken to find her but in vain. Unfortunately, the lady accidentally locked herself in a casket and suffocated to death, being found some months later. Her restless spirit wanders the hall today, her wedding dress-grey with age, rustling as she moves.

Various sightings at Beamish Hall include an Edwardian lady in a pink hat who sits in the Eden Lounge, her companions in that particular room include a parrot and a cat!

The oldest part of the house, parts of which date back to the twelfth century, is where the entrance to the cellars in which the body of the grey lady was found.

If you are lucky enough to see her, please wish her well!

Map & Directions

Beamish Hall Country House Hotel

Beamish,
Stanley,
County Durham
DH9 0YB

Tel: +44 (0)1483 776344Fax: +44 (0)1483 730202

How to find us

By Road

Beamish Hall Hotel is located 12 miles north west of Durham City and 8 miles south west of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is close to the prominent tourist attraction, Beamish Open Air Museum, which is well signposted.

From the north or south: Exit the A1(M) at Junction 63 (Chester-le-Street exit), then follow the A693 (towards Stanley) for 4 miles. Follow the signs to Beamish Museum and by the main gate of the Museum, bear left and continue for another mile. Beamish Hall is the next turning on the left after the sign for Beamish Park Golf Club.

Parking: Ample free parking on-site

By Rail and Air

Rail: Chester le-Street Station - 3 miles
Newcastle Central Station - 14 miles. Taxis available at the station (approx £12 to the hotel)
Air: Newcastle City Airport - 14 miles

Nearest Cities/Towns

Beamish (0.00 miles) (0 km)
Stanley (1.50 miles) (2 km)
Chester-le-Street (5.00 miles) (8 km)
Gateshead (8.00 miles) (13 km)
Newcastle upon Tyne (9.00 miles) (14 km)
Durham (12.00 miles) (19 km)
Newcastle Airport (14.00 miles) (23 km)
Sunderland (14.00 miles) (23 km)
Hexham (28.00 miles) (45 km)
Teesside Airport (36.00 miles) (58 km)
Alnwick (42.00 miles) (68 km)