Cragside House

this is on my must visit list this year!

beautiful building

Wow.....mine too Arlene....very majestic!

Lovely. I wish I could visit too.

Come on over Gilli.....and we'll all go together! :o)

What a wonderful building. It doesn't look the sort of building one would expect to find in this country.Well photographed!

~we went past the last October but it was too late in the day to be worth doing but when I am next staying with my sister we will definitely go!

Here is a bit of info Gilli!
Cragside, the country retreat of Lord Armstrong, built on a bare and rugged hillside above Rothbury. It became one of the most modern and surprising houses for its time in the country. In the 1880's, the house had hot and cold running water, central heating, fire alarms, telephones, a Turkish bath suite and a passenger lift - but most remarkable of all - it was the first house in the world to be lit by hydro-electricity. No wonder it was described as 'The Palace of a Modern Magician' and even Royalty came to stay! As the house still contains its original contents, you can step back into late Victorian times and see how far ahead of its time it was.

Around the house is one of Europe's largest rock gardens, which tumbles down the valley towards the Debdon Burn. In the valley bottom you will find the tallest Douglas Fir in England. Across the valley, hidden amongst the trees is the clock tower. This clock not only struck the hours, but also used to chime the starting, finishing and meal times of the estate workers. It can still be heard across the estate. Seven million trees and bushes were planted to cover the bare hillside and create the wooded estate you can explore today. Over 30 miles of footpaths and lakeside walks lead you through the woods to the estate's secret hide-aways. Children too, will love trying to find their way around Nelly's Labyrinth and playing on the slides, swings and tunnels in the Adventure Play Area.

Cragside is a National Trust property.
Glossary

Lord Armstrong
1810-1900. William George Armstrong was born in 1810 in Shieldfield, Newcastle, the son of a corn merchant. Although he initially planned to become a lawyer he was long interested in engineering and in the 1840s made a number of inventions including an hydraulic crane. In 1847 Armstrong set up a works at Elswick in Newcastle, which made electrical mechanisms and engines. One of his more important inventions was the Armstrong breech-loading gun was one of his more successful developments. He was made engineer to the war department and given a knighthood. In 1882 his company started building ships. By which time it was the biggest employer on Tyneside, with over 20,000 employees. In 1897 the firm joined with Joseph Whitworth and later became Vickers Armstrong. He used his great wealth to buy and restore Bamburgh Castle and to build Cragside, his mansion near Rothbury. It was the first house in Britain to be lit by hydroelectric power.