History of Lemmington Hall

The history of Lemmington Hall was originally taken from a notebook written in 1945, which was handed to the Sisters, who ran the Hall as a home for women, by a man called Ned Lupton. He lived in the area and knew the Aitchison family very well.

Bydnall Era 1336

Our stunning 11th-century Pele Tower, now known as the Forgotten Tower, symbolizes the beginning of our story.

It was built to protect from the raids of the Border Reivers on either side of the Anglo-Scottish borders, in the historic kingdom of Northumbria.

The L shaped stone Tower is a fortified structure, spanning three storeys. It has a vaulted ground floor, spiral staircase and the roof was surmounted by Turrets (look-outs) used to warn people of the oncoming raids.

The Great Hall occupies part of the Tower and is still present today. It features a large square-headed fireplace which dates back to the 14th century.

The first recorded owner of Lemmington was Adam de Bydnall, who lived there in 1336. The family owned Lemmington until 1683, when the Bydnall Era ended.

Clavering Era 1685

In 1685, the Lemmington Estate now became the property of Sir James Clavering of Newcastle. On his death in 1707, it passed to his only daughter Elizabeth.

On 9th May 1716, Elizabeth married Nicholas Fenwick, a descendant of the Anglo-Northumbrian clan of fierce Fenwick’s.

The Fenwick’s were four times Mayor of Newcastle and for a time a Member of Parliament for that area.

Fenwick Era 1716

Nicholas Fenwick decided to build a Georgian mansion on to the Pele Tower, which completed in 1750.

Fenwick reduced the height of the Tower to the roof level of his new structure and built an arched passage starting from the foot of the newel staircase. The Entrance Hall was paved with flagstones and tall columns added to the décor. Several of the rooms had marble fireplaces, at least one being of Adam Design.

Fenwick also laid out magnificent walled gardens and he planted a pinery and another large plantation on the brow of the hill, to the east of the Hall. He also added stables for twenty horses, a double coach house, servants quarters, five farms and five cottages to the Estate.

It was obvious that succeeding generations of Fenwick’s greatly improved and embellished the property. In 1764 Robert Fenwick was awarded a gold medal for planting 4,100 scotch firs on his Estate. The last Fenwick owner also Nicholas, died in 1820 when the Fenwick Era ended.

Pawson Era 1825

Five years later, Lemmington became the property of William H. Pawson who already owned the Shawdon and Titlington Estates close by.

Pawson made some improvements to Lemmington, but towards the end of 1880s his financial situation deteriorated rapidly, and he too, mortgaged Lemmington.

In the end, he stripped the Hall of its roof which left the building open to the elements and it fell into disrepair. Then began the pillage and the plunder – doors, floors, fireplaces, carved cornices and architraves were ripped out and taken to embellish Titlington. What was once the glory of Lemmington, now stood, silent. forlorn and forsaken.

In the years that followed, parts of the Hall were occupied by tenants or caretakers.

Aitchison Era 1913

In 1913, Lemmington Hall was little more than a shell. It was bought by Stephen Henry Aitchison, who restored the Hall back to its glory by 1916. Born in Wiltshire, Aitchison came up north to pursue a career in the grocery trade, with firm Water Willson. Soon after, Aitchison became a director and married the founders daughter, Alice. The couple lived in Gateshead, but sometimes stayed at a hotel near Lemmington, which is possibly how Aitchison came across the Hall.

From 1913, Lemmington Hall’s story becomes interwoven with two other family residences; Camelford House in London and Chateau Bar-de-Luc in France. In 1906 Aitchison bought timbers from the French residence where they were cut into strips for flooring and panelling for Lemmington. In front of the fireplace in the Entrance Hall is a floorboard dated 1741 to highlight the date of the alteration of Bar-de-Luc. In 1913 he also bought interior fittings including marble fireplaces from Camelford House to finish the renovation.

Aitchison greatly embellished the Hall and was given a Knighthood in 1928. He inserted the magnificent mullioned windows in the Forgotten Tower and erected the stone wall of the stable block and carved 1913 in commemoration of the first year he visited Lemmington. In the grounds he planted 7 cedar of Lebanon trees around a huge gritstone block 3 ft high, which commemorated the signing of the peace treaty which ended World War 1. The quarry in the grounds, is where all the stone was sourced for the build.

In 1942 Aitchison died and new owner, Sir Walter de Lancey Aitchison, no longer used Lemmington as a family home.

Ruff Era 2004

In 2004, Lemmington Hall was bought as a Family home by Helen and Aidan Ruff and the family still reside in the property today.

The Hall was enjoyed for many years by the family, before they decided to undertake a major renovation back in 2022 to launch the Georgian Manor as a ‘Summer Destination Wedding Venue’ in Northumberland.

This would add to the Ruff’s portfolio of venues, which includes multi award-winning Ellingham Hall and The Highlander a Family Gastro Pub in Ponteland.

This year will see the first weddings take place and our couples love story will play an important part in Lemmington’s fascinating legacy.