A bold solution for a former ruin

Blencowe Hall, Cumbria

Once an at-risk site, now a holiday destination

The Grade I-listed Blencowe Hall was once a roofless ruin listed on the Buildings at Risk register – today, it’s a popular holiday attraction supporting Cumbria’s tourism objectives.

The story begins in 1648, during the English Civil War, when the southern Pele Tower of Blencowe was attacked, destroying a large portion of the front of the tower. It remained a ruin with its medieval sandstone features elevated and out of reach until 2007 when The Rowley Estates appointed Donald Insall Associates to help restore and convert the hall into hotel accommodation.

Our proposed solution was bold: it brought the site into viable use by retaining it as a single integrated building while boldly expressing the historical and architectural significance of the site. Prior to the project, only 25% of the site was habitable; at completion, this had increased to 100% and its adjoining Grade II listed sandstone farm buildings were also conserved and restored.

Over a decade since its completion, Blencowe Hall now supports a thriving business: in 2023 it hosted 7,446 guest nights and generated an estimated £223,380 of additional spending in the local economy.

Exterior facade of Blencowe before works, a large part of the building is an empty ruin.

Image courtesy of Blencowe Hall

Exterior facade of Blencowe Hall, with windows and a restored tower. A garden in front of the building is maintained and has shaped hedges.

Blencowe Hall, 2024

Challenging the status quo

The biggest challenge of this radical scheme was gaining Listed Building Consent. Given the Grade I-listed status of the building proposal to include contemporary glazing in the historic South Tower – considered controversial at the time – careful negotiation was required with the Conservation Officer, English Heritage and SPAB.

With the support of detailed archaeological work including ground-penetrating radar assessments of the site, we were able to demonstrate a clear understanding of its historic fabric and a strong rationale for the proposed design, which resulted in planning approval.

The revitalisation of Blencowe Hall was included as one of 20 examples in the English Heritage publication ‘Constructive Conservation in Practice’, citing the project as an exemplar and indicative of a novel approach. In 2024, the project was announced as a finalist for the Architecture Today Awards, which celebrates projects that stood the test of time.