WE EXPLORED CRAGSIDE IN NORTHUMBERLAND, THE WORLDS FIRST HYDRO-ELECTRIC HOUSE!

Come with us as we explore the gardens of Cragside in Northumberland. Sadly the main building was closed on this day but will re-open in Sprint 2024. Still, we had a great day exploring the outer gardens.
Cragside was originally a small villa built in 1863-6 by an unidentified architect; in 1869-84 it was developed and considerably enlarged by Richard Norman Shaw for Sir William (later Lord) Armstrong, the Newcastle inventor and armaments manufacturer. At Cragside, Armstrong put into use the engineering skills which had made his fortune: hydraulic machinery supplied water to the house, powered the lifts, and rotated the spit in the kitchen. An internal telephone system provided room-to-room communications.
Cragside was the first house in the world to be lit by hydro-electric power, using man-made lakes and underground piping. The exterior of Cragside is a dramatic blend of different architectural styles and elements, including gables, crenellations, Tudor chimneystacks, Gothic arches and mullioned windows. It boasts some of the finest surviving Victorian interiors in the country, featuring the designs of William Morris, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Philip Webb and Burne-Jones.
#hiking #northumberland #ukhiking #outdoors #explore #nationaltrust #cragside #ukwalks #familydayout #hiddengem