"Blencowe Hall" by Tom Gomez

Blencowe Hall

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Artist's Description

Blencowe Hall, a ruined castle near Penrith, Cumbria, England whose shattered walls have been sewn together with a glass front and turned into a holiday cottage.

Blencowe Hall has been included in the 20 sites on English Heritage Constructive Conservation in Practice list.

The Hall has two fortified Pele towers, the southeast tower is dated to 1475.

The intervening range has the date 1590 over the entrance door in the courtyard and the initials and coat of arms of Henry Blencowe. Above are the words vivere mori, mori vitae (a cryptic Latin tag that can be roughly translated as live to die, dying is living).

This is held to relate to the words written by Lady Jane Grey to her sister on the night of her execution on February 12, 1554: Live still to die, that you may by death purchase eternal life.

The Blencowes were related to Lady Jane Grey’s husband, Lord Guildford Dudley, who was put to death alongside her at the Tower of London.

Both towers are now little more than shells. The southwest tower has a savage gash running from top to bottom of the kind that Cromwell and Richelieu left when they slighted castles held by their enemies, ensuring that they could never be used again.

This is a strong possibility at Blencowe as Parliamentary forces under General Lambert took Penrith in 1648 and detachments were sent out to take Rose and Greystoke Castles, which were both burnt. As Blencowe was on the way from Greystoke to Rose, and traces of artillery platforms have been found in the fields near by, there is every chance that Cromwellians savaged it.

Adam de Blencowe so distinguished himself serving under the Black Prince, probably at the Battle of Poitiers, that he was granted his own coat of arms by the Lord of neighbouring Greystoke, whom he had accompanied to France.

Henry Blencowe was a man of local standing. He had married Grace, the sister of Sir Richard Sandford of Howgill Castle, across the border in Westmoreland. From James I he received a knighthood, serving twice as High Sheriff of Cumberland. To him is also attributed the southwest tower of 1620.

The last of the Blencowes, Henry Prescot Blencowe, sold the property in 1802 to the 11th Duke of Norfolk who had earlier remodelled Greystoke Castle. For nearly two centuries it continued as a tenant farm until sold in 1988.

A spectacular dark glazed window over the huge crack in the southwesth tower is the centrepiece of the unique renovation project which has been undertaken by Charles and Christine Rowley, of Hampstead, London, at a cost of hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Blencowe Hall is scheduled by English Heritage as a building of architectural and historical interest listed Grade I. The former Chapel (at the rear) is listed Grade II.

Camera: Canon EOS 450D (Digital Rebel XSi in the USA)
Lens: Canon 18-55mm IS
ISO: 200
Handheld

BEST VIEWED LARGER

Single RAW image Tonemapped in Photomatix Pro.

Related shots can be found at: Cumbria, England or you can look at all my HDR shots.

Featured in : Cee’s Fun Artsy Friends : 18 Jun 10

Sold 1 Card : 20 Jun 10
Sold 1 Small Poster on 29th July 11
Sold 8 Cards : 9 Sep 11
Sold 1 Large Photographic Print : 7 Dec 11
Sold 2 Medium Photographic Prints : 7 May 12
Sold 1 Card : 14 Aug 12
Sold 16 Cards : 17 Nov 13

All Products Tags

blencowe hall cumbria pele tower castle tower ruin penrith cumbria england english uk united kingdom listed english heritage hdr hdri photographic_print_sale sale card_sale poster_sale sold

Artwork Comments

Gary Murison over 8 years ago

Great shot Tom. I see that you got there before the rain :)
Tom Gomez over 8 years ago

Hehe, it was in between the showers mate …
imagic over 8 years ago

Wonderful shot Tom, so well composed a great capture… my compliment and a FAV.
Greetings
Jens.
Tom Gomez over 8 years ago

Thank you so much Jens …
Brenda Boisvert over 8 years ago

Beautiful shot!!!
Tom Gomez over 8 years ago

Thank you kindly Brenda …
Bootiewootsy over 8 years ago

Excellent shot, Tom.. Beautiful composition and colors..
Tom Gomez over 8 years ago

Thank you so much Carol …
Edyta Magdalena Pelc over 8 years ago

Fantastic shot Tom!!lovely light!
Tom Gomez over 8 years ago

Thank you Edyta, very much appreciated …
JHRphotoART over 8 years ago

Great image Tom
Tom Gomez over 8 years ago

Thank you kindly Yani …
David Smith over 8 years ago

An excellent image and your usual detailed history makes this one a very interesting shot. Regards Dave.
Tom Gomez over 8 years ago

Cheers Dave, it is a fabulous house. That left tower is leaning outwards at about 20 deg, it is quite scary.
Shaun Whiteman over 8 years ago

never heard of this Tom, what a beauty, fantastic details in the stonework as usual!!
Tom Gomez over 8 years ago

Cheers mate, it is not far from Greystoke. Click here to see it on the map …
WatscapePhoto over 8 years ago

Superb image and info, Tom. That touch of colour in the grounds is the icing on the cake,
Tom Gomez over 8 years ago

Thank you so much Steven, always appreciated my friend …
RedHillDigital over 8 years ago

Interesting capture Tom and typical Lake District sky!
Tom Gomez over 8 years ago

Cheers Howard, we had a pretty showery week …