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Headlam Hall

The Stuart Era

In the 16th Century the Headlam estate came into the possession of the Birkbeck family, originally of Hornby in Cumberland, through the marriage of Thomas Birkbeck into the Lancaster family of Stockbridge, Westmorland.

The second son of Thomas, Henry "of Headlam" soon inherited the new family estate. He married Anne, daughter of Henry Brackenbury of Selaby, and the two of them were responsible for the construction of Headlam Hall at the turn of 17th Century. As a gift to his wife, Henry had an elaborate oak fireplace installed in the main hall with the Birkbeck coat of arms displayed in the centre of the mantle. This feature still stands in pride of place to this very day.

Headlam Hall

The Gregorian Era

By the mid 18th Century the property came into the possession of Lawrence Brockett as a result of his marriage to Anne, the great, great granddaughter of Henry and Anne Birkbeck. The Hall then remained with the Brockett family for the next century and a half. The best known member of the Brocketts was the youngest of Lawrence and Anne's five sons, also called Lawrence who became Regus Professor of Modern History at Cambridge.

Headlam Hall

The Edwardian Era and beyond

In 1912 the property was acquired by Lord and Lady Gainford (J.A Pease, M.P.), where they lived until their deaths in the early 1940's. The Hall then belonged to the Stobart family up until 1977 when it was acquired by its present owners, the Robinson family, who have farmed at Headlam for four generations.

Headlam Hall

Modern History

John & Ann Robinson purchased Headlam Hall in 1977 as it was an opportunity to expand their neighbouring farm and work soon began to make the main ground floor rooms and a handful of bedrooms suitable for letting.

In the early days the operation at Headlam was very much low key with Ann doing the cooking for the occasional dinner party and guests were often left to 'fend for themselves' with an honesty bar in the main lounge. Even in the early days Headlam attracted visitors from all over the world including Count Zanon (an influential figure in Formula 1 in the 70's and 80's) and the then President of France!

As time moved on more areas of the Hall were re-furbished and the initial six bedrooms grew to become sixteen by the mid-eighties. At the start of the 1990's Headlam Hall stepped up a gear in what it had to offer. The Coach House was developed into an additional nine bedrooms, a resident's swimming pool with sauna and the Edwardian Suite. In the late 1990's a larger conservatory was added (the Patio Room) and the six 'Mews' bedrooms were developed along the drive from stables and stores. By the year 2000 Headlam Hall employed over 40 staff.

Headlam Hall Spa

Following the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001 it was decided it was an opportunity to develop the pastureland to the east of the hall to create a 9 hole golf course, which along with pro-shop and driving range opened in May 2004.

2006 saw the opening of Headlam’s luxury spa. The spa at Headlam reflects the peace and tranquillity of the surrounding Durham Dales countryside, where guests can enjoy the therapeutic benefits of water including swimming pool, outdoor hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam room and drench shower to name but a few.

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