Gibside is famous for the sedate historic estate set at the heart of the outstandingly beautiful Derwent Valley. The estate was the creation of a member of the Bowes-Lyon family, to which our late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother belonged. George Bowes was both land-owner, industrialist and coal baron, the estate was founded on the vast fortune he made from his business activities, it was begun in 1730.
Everywhere the eye travels at Gibside there is beauty. Visitors get to see a ruined house in a superb landscape said to be the work of Capability Brown. It is remarkable for the magnificent settings of the Jacobean Hall, the Liberty Column, the Banqueting House and the peaceful Palladian Chapel. Here there are miles of romantic forest glades, the Gibside forest extends for over 15 miles of woodland, walks here take you along the fragrant waters edge of the scenic Derwent River.
In the grounds you can visit the Orangery, once a centre for the production of fruit and exotic flowers and learn of Eleanor Bowes, known as the "Unhappy Countess" or you can wander around the Lily Pond, the Octagonal Pond, or stroll beneath a great avenue of Turkey Oaks. It is all so serene, you can be forgiven for feeling transported back in to another age, where elegance and style mattered.
The estate is in the hands of the National Trust who are undertaking a massive restoration programme to bring the estate back to its former glory. They are currently restoring the stables and the construction of accommodation for school groups.
Gibside possesses some of the finest views of the Derwent Valley. It is barely 3 miles from the teeming metropolis of Gateshead, and provides City dwellers and visitors with a sweet oasis where you can spend idyllic hours away from the crowds.
in the county of County Durham
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a Historic City in the county of Tyne & Wear
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in the county of Tyne & Wear
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in the county of Tyne & Wear
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a Historic City in the county of County Durham
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All towns in Tyne & Wear
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