Wharton Hall

Wharton Hall
Westmorland
Wharton Hall
Location
Grid reference:	NY770061
Location:	54°27’2"N, 2°21’21"W
History
	Built 14th century
	Tower house
Information
Condition:	In use, partly ruined

Wharton Hall is a grand house in the upper dale of the River Eden, on Mallerstang Common just south of Kirkby Stephen, in Westmorland. It is a Grade I listed building,

This is a most impressive 14th century tower house to which have been added over the centuries a gatehouse, internal courtyard and outbuildings dating up to the 17th century. The gatehouse stands foursquare and solid, almost intact externally, but now roofless and missing floors; its defensive purpose rendered redundant by four hundred years of peace. The mediæval curtain wall remains, completely surrounding the mediæval courtyard.

History

Wharton Hall was said to have been built by Sir Thomas Wharton in about 1436, though it is dated today to an earlier period – the late fourteenth century. The gatehouse and the west wing were built later: the coat of arms over the archway was carved and the date 1559.

The Wharton family are recorded locally first as de Querton, and later, with a change in orthography, as de Wherton and then de Wharton and finally 'Wharton'.

The hall is today part of a working farm, and not open to visitors. (Access is by way of a private drive some three miles long.)

Architecture

The hall is a large house built around a courtyard. It was first built in the late 14th century, but was developed and improved up to the Georgian period. It is built of coursed rubble with quoins. Today it has slate roofs.

There is crenelation on main building, and there are substantial remains of the Great Hall and kitchen.

The Wharton coat of arms is displayed on the exterior.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Wharton Hall)

• Wharton Hall on 'eCastles'
• Wharton Hall on Gatehouse Gazetteer

References

• National Monuments Record: No. 14636 – Wharton Hall