Biddlestone RC Chapel

Biddlestone RC Chapel is a Roman Catholic chapel at Biddlestone, near Netherton, Northumberland. It is a Grade II* listed building, and is all that now remains of the former mansion Biddlestone Hall.

The Selby family were granted the manor of Biddlestone in 1272 and lived there for over 600 years. In the 14th century they built a pele tower which was reported to in 'good reparations' by a survey of 1541 and which was incorporated into a tower house in the 17th century. In 1715 it was described as a freestone structure in the form of a cross with four wings ' the middlemost towerlike with battlements'

The Georgian style mansion was built about 1796 on the site of the old house, and in about 1820 Walter Selby commissioned architect John Dobson to design a private family chapel to be incorporated into the Hall on the site of the old pele tower. The arms of the Selby family are represented in a stained glass window.

The Selbys left Biddlestone in about 1914 and the Hall deteriorated to such an extent that it was demolished in about 1960 leaving only the chapel standing.

The chapel which is still in occasional use is now in the custody of the Historic Chapels Trust.

References

* [http://sine.ncl.ac.uk/view_structure_information.asp?/struct_id=32 Structures of the North East]
* [http://homepage.mac.com/philipdavis/English%20sites/2420.html Biddlestone Hall]
* [http://www.durham.gov.uk/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=N12719 Keys to the Past]
* [http://www.durham.gov.uk/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=N1108 Keys to the Past]
* [http://www.rothbury.com/village/around/biddlestone_chapel.htm Biddlestone Chapel]