This pioneering home looks like it’s from the set of a Tim Burton movie, and yet its Victorian history is very much real – as the world’s first hydroelectric house
The house is now in the hands of The National Trust (Image: Iain Buist/Newcastle Chronicle)
Built within a fantastical mountain landscape, this Victorian home is a true pioneering piece of architecture and the very first of its kind.
Cragside in Morpeth, Northumberland, is known as Britain’s original smart home, and it’s nothing short of grand. From the outside the huge mansion towers over the water below it, all higgledy-piggledy looking, like something from a movie.
Its various pointed roofs and curved brickwork make it seem very Tim Burton-esque, and in fact, it has starred in a number of productions because of its sheer unique beauty.
It appeared in the 2018 huge blockbuster film Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom as the setting for Lockwood Manor.
But really it’s the fact this was the world’s first building, built on hydroelectricity, powered by hydraulics, that makes it such a mind-blowing phenomenon. Both rivers, lakes and even waterfalls all combine to power the home and its magical gardens.
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History
Cragside was crafted by the vision of the couple, William and Margaret Armstrong, with William leading as an engineer and industrialist who was behind a number of world-changing inventions. Meanwhile, Margaret had an extensive knowledge of botanical life, which led to the creation of the gardens.
What started out as a mere sporting lodge in 1863 slowly but surely grew into an expansive estate, crafted over three decades. The masterpiece of a house was extended in three main phases between the years of 1870 and 1884 by the architect Richard Norman Shaw.
It soon became a place of pioneering experimentation as the married couple created a vision for the future of power and electricity.
The building is powered by hydraulics in a way like no other, as the very first example of a water-powered home. It introduced central heating, electric light, gravity-fed plumbing, water-powered machinery and a hydraulic lift, providing a new level of comfort to home life.
Adding to the building’s sense of innovation is the electric light, which was introduced in 1878 with carbon-arc lamps in the Gallery room.
In a collaboration with the chemist Joseph Swan, in 1880 they furthered this by allowing for the first domestic installation of incandescent lightbulbs.
After years of renovation and invention, the house inevitably ended up in the hands of their great-nephew, William Watson Armstrong, after he inherited it.
They did not share any children, and so he was the next in line for the property, following their deaths, in which the home stayed within his family for two further generations.
Walking
Thanks to its spectacular location, Cragside is an ideal spot for long walks in and around the estate, with two extra-long routes – one known as the Hydro-power Trail and the other Views of Cragside.
Spanning 6.5 miles, they are verging on more of a hike than a simple walk and can take up most of your visit, but the estate is a great starting point for the venture. The Hydro-power Trail is one that takes you past every part of the technology involved in harnessing the power of water.
Meanwhile, on the Views of Cragside route, you’ll experience sweeping vistas of the Northumberland hills and beyond. It takes you past the Formal Garden, where you can also stop and admire the carefully curated flowerbeds.
There are waymarkers all around the estate leading you to different trails with plenty of different ranging abilities. The most family-friendly of the walks and considered easy to moderate is Nelly’s Moss, lasting up to an hour.
Visiting the estate
To have access to Cragside in all of its glory, there is no pre-booking required, and there is no additional charge for parking once your fee has been paid – National Trust members excluded of course. Adults pay a fee of £27.00 while children should pay £13.50 upon entry.
Meanwhile families of two adults and up to three children can pay a family ticket at £67.50. Access to the site is open from 11am, while the house is closed at 3pm and the other facilities are open until 4pm.
