Kirkley Hall Timeline

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Significant dates in Kirkley Halls history:

1291 The land was recorded as being in possession of the de Eure family.

1327 Sir John de Eure inherited the land from his Father but the land was later seized because of his Fathers sympathy with the Scots. His land was returned to him upon the payment of £400.

1415 Sir William de Eure on return from the battle of Agincourt, built a tower at Kirklawe.

1509 During this period the land was owned by Sir Ralph de Eure, Lord Warden of the East Marches, who was responsible for keeping peace and order at a time when the Scots were making frequent raids across the Border.

1545 Sir Ralph was slain at Haildon Hall and his son Sir William de Eure inherited the land and soon afterwards was raised to the peerage.

1563 One of the earliest mentions of Kirkley Hall recorded is a football match. Roger Hopper was on his way to see the “yought of Kirkley play at fottball”.

1612 Ralph Lord Eure sold to Mark Ogle of Kirkley the Manor House, half the township of Kirkley and 930 acres of land for £1,100. The Ogle family hadarrived as lowly tenants and created a major estate by 1874 which extended to 7,518 acres.

1632 Cuthbert Ogle built the first manor house on a site to the south of the present hall. He and his wife’s initials can still be seen on the stone lintel about the main porch and windows of the present Hall. This original manor house was pulled down in the late 18th Century but the line of the original drive can still be seen crossing Cadgers Burn between Monument Hill and Sawbridge Field.

1638 The name of Kirkley was first recorded

1722 Captain Chaloner Ogle, a Navy Captain, distinguished himself in action off the African coast by capturing 3 pirate ships including the pirate Roberts, he returned a national hero and received a Knighthood and a huge sum of prize money. In 1749 he became Admiral and Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet.

1749 Dr Nathanial Ogle, described as ‘Physician to the Forces’, is reported as an owner of Kirkley Estate.

1762 The Reverend Newton Ogle, the brother of Dr Nathaniel inherited the property. Newton Ogle later became Dean of Westminster and during hisoccupancy of Kirkley bought up most of the land lying between Blagdon and Milbourne and Ponteland and Morpeth.

1764 The Rev. Newton Ogle replaced the Hall with a house on the present site around the Cedar of Lebanon tree which was reputed to be 100 years old at the time. The stables belonging to this house still remain with the open colonnaded lantern of the Clock Tower.

1778 The Obelisk was erected on ‘A grassy knoll’ to commemorate the centenary of the landing in this country of William and Mary of Orange and the ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1689. The inscription still clearly reads…….. ‘Vindicatae Libertatis Publicae Anno Cenesimo Salutis MDXXXVIII Newton Ogle P.’ The stable and archway date from this period and their outline was adopted as the Kirkley Hall College logo.

1804 Newton Ogle was succeeded by his son the Rev. John Sackville Ogle.

1832 Exactly 200 years ago after the Hall was first built it was extensively altered.The Park was extended and he built the main gate with the bull and antelope heads and the South Lodge. A stone to the right of the main door of the present Hall carries the date of these alterations.

1853 Edward Challoner Ogle succeeded to Kirkley Hall.

1922 Am area of 5,901 acres of the estate were sold, comprising 21 farms, Mr John Francis Challoner Ogle leased off the rest of the estate. This marked the end of the Ogles as significant landowners at Kirkley Hall, after 310 years. Sir William J. Noble took over the estate.

1929 A fire destroyed the Hall completely though the outbuildings still remain. Much of the present boundary wall was built using the charred stones from the remains of the fire.

1930 The Hall was rebuilt using a simplified plan reducing the old 3-storey building to 2 storeys and using stone from Chesters. This restoration is recorded on the drainpipes on the south of the Hall. Sir William had his Coat of Arms carved above the door and also worked into the stained glass window on the main staircase. In recognition of his work in shipping and international trade Sir William was created a baron and took the title Lord Kirkley.

1935 On the death of Sir William his daughter inherited the estate and Lady Redhead became tenant of the Hall.

1948 The Hall, 4 lodges, Bandhead Steading and 260 acres of land was sold to Northumberland County Council for approximately £25,000 by Mrs Williamson-Noble.

1951 Kirkley Hall Farm Institute was opened with Mr D. Elsmore as the first Principal.

1958 Broadlaw Farm was purchased to extend the Institute’s farming activities to include a Beekeeping Centre.

1959 Four houses were built at Kirkley Park.

1965 Mr J.E. Scott was appointed as Principal.

1967 The main student residential block was completed.

1968 Name changed to Northumberland College of Agriculture and Mr P.W. Blake was appointed as Principal.

1972 and 1976 The steadings at Broadlaw and Kirkley were rebuilt. Broadlaw beef shed and silage clamp was re-built.

1973 Broadlaw Old Steading demolished, and fattening shed, hay and implementstore erected. Two houses built adjacent to Hall. Part of East wing renovated to provide two dormitories for Link Courses.

1976 Kirkley Steading partially demolished. The parlour, cubicle house and slurrysystem built costing approximately £42,000.

1978 The College became tenants of Carlcroft, the hill farm in the Coquet Valley.Further developments at Kirkley Steading involved the building of calf housing. Start made on the Recreation Hall with part of the steel frame erected. 1984 Another residential block for students was completed.

1988 Name changed to Kirkley Hall College.

1999 Kirkley Hall College merged with Northumberland College and became Northumberland College at Kirkley Hall. Principal Dr. Tim M Capron. Today Kirkley Hall is Northumberland College second biggest campus and offers a complete range of Agricultural related courses. Residential accommodation is offered to students from all over the world. The Hall and premises can be hired for Corporate Events as well as social events such as Weddings.