Whitworth Hall, County Durham

Whitworth Hall is a country house standing in Whitworth Hall Country Park near Spennymoor, County Durham, England. It was formerly the home of the Shafto family and is now operated as a hotel and wedding venue. The building is listed. The Shafto family's association with the manor began in 1652 when Mark Shafto, Recorder of Newcastle, purchased the manor of Whitworth. The family produced several notable figures, including Robert Shafto, known as Bobby Shaftoe, whose marriage in 1774 to Anne Duncombe greatly increased the family fortune. In 1845, Robert Eden Duncombe Shafto replaced the old manor house with a new mansion, but this was substantially destroyed by fire; only the detached library wing remains. The present two-storey, seven-bayed house dates from a rebuild around 1900. In the 21st century, Whitworth Hall has been operated as a hotel and wedding venue and forms part of the Apartment Group's portfolio of wedding venues in the North East of England.

Whitworth Hall stands in Whitworth Hall Country Park, near Spennymoor, County Durham, England. It is a country house that was formerly the home of the Shafto family and is now a hotel. It is a listed building. The Shafto family of Shafto Crag, Northumberland, had descendants who served as Aldermen, Mayors and Sheriffs of Newcastle upon Tyne in the 16th and 17th centuries. In 1652 Mark Shafto, Recorder of Newcastle, purchased the manor of Whitworth. His son Robert, knighted in 1670, was Recorder from 1660, and his grandson was High Sheriff of Durham in 1709. Two sons of Mark Shafto junior represented Durham City in Parliament: Robert Shafto in 1712/13 and 1727/30, and John Shafto from 1729 to 1742. John was the father of Robert Shafto, better known as Bobby Shaftoe, who vastly increased the family fortune by his marriage in 1774 to Anne Duncombe of Duncombe Park. Their son Robert Eden Duncombe Shafto, also Member of Parliament for Durham City and later High Sheriff in 1842, married Catherine Eden, daughter of Sir John Eden Bt of Windlestone Hall, and replaced the old manor house with a new mansion in 1845. The house was substantially destroyed by fire and all that now remains of the 1845 rebuild is the detached library wing. The present two-storey seven-bayed house dates from the rebuild of about 1900. Branches of the Shafto family had seats at Bavington Hall, Beamish Hall and Windlestone Hall. In the 21st century Whitworth Hall has been operated as a hotel and wedding venue and has formed part of the Apartment Group's portfolio of wedding venues in the North East.

• 1900

  Present two-storey seven-bayed house rebuilt after fire.

• 1845

  Robert Eden Duncombe Shafto replaces the old manor house with a new mansion.

• 1774

  Robert Shafto marries Anne Duncombe, greatly increasing the family fortune.

• 1670

  Robert Shafto knighted.

• 1652

  Mark Shafto purchases the manor of Whitworth.

• Whitworth Hall operated as a hotel and wedding venue, part of Apartment Group portfolio.

Historic country house hotel and wedding venue in the North East of England.

• Hotel accommodation

• Wedding venue hire

• Event spaces

1. 1Whitworth Hall, County Durham - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Whitworth Hall, County Durham - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org