Brancepeth Castle
Brancepeth Castle is a castle in the village of Brancepeth in County Durham, England, some 5 miles south-west of the city of Durham (grid reference NZ223377). It is a Grade I listed building.[1]
Brancepeth Castle
Dobson family
In part, throughout the year.
Standing
Dobson family[edit]
The castle is now owned by the Dobson family. Margaret Dobson, wife of publisher Dennis Dobson, bought the castle in 1978 to store the company's stock of books when the lease on its Notting Hill premises expired.[8] Her husband died that year.
Margaret Dobson restored the fabric and interior of the building, including the lead roof, which had been stripped by an earlier tenant. She refurbished function rooms, for use as a venue for auctions and twice-yearly craft fairs. Shakespearean plays were staged in the main courtyard, and rooms were rented.[8] Margaret Dobson died aged 86 on 19 October 2014, leaving four sons, three daughters and 11 grandchildren.[8][9] Original French political posters from 1968 found in the cellar of the castle featured in the BBC programme Inside Out North East & Cumbria in February 2019.[10]