Doxford House

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Doxford House
Doxford House.jpg
Front of Doxford House in 2008
Tyne and Wear UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Tyne and Wear
Former namesSilksworth House
General information
Location Silksworth, Sunderland, England
Coordinates 54°52′06″N1°25′01″W / 54.86844°N 1.41686°W / 54.86844; -1.41686
Year(s) built177580
Renovatedc. 1900 (altered)
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official nameDoxford House with conservatory
Designated25 February 1949
Reference no. 1279879

Doxford House is an 18th-century mansion in the Silksworth area of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England. It is a Grade II* listed building. [1] [2]

Contents

Formerly known as Silksworth House, it was constructed in 177580 by William Johnson, [note 1] who on his death in 1792 bequeathed the property to his friend Hendry Hopper. In 1831 Priscilla Hopper, then heiress to the estate, married William Beckwith of Thurcroft. He was High Sheriff of Durham in 1857. [3] The Beckwiths moved to Shropshire in about 1890 and the house was let out.

In 1902 Charles David Doxford of William Doxford & Sons, brother of Theodore Doxford, took out a 99-year lease on the 24-acre (97,000 m2) estate. On his death in 1935, his daughter, Aline, bought out the lease. On her death in 1968, she bequeathed the house and estate to Sunderland Corporation who gave the house its present name and turned the gardens into Doxford Park. [4]

In 1989 the house became a students' hall of residence for Sunderland University and from about 2000 to 2006 was occupied by the Lazarus Foundation, a drug rehabilitation charity. [5] It was later converted into a private home. [6] [3]

See also

Notes

  1. Historic England states the building is probably c.1820. [2]

References

  1. English Heritage: architectural description of listed building
  2. 1 2 Historic England. "Doxford House with conservatory (1279879)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  3. 1 2 Henderson, Tony (1 February 2020). "City's secret garden set for revival - with a little help from its friends". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  4. "History of Sunderland's 'Secret Garden' now set in stone - Sunderland Echo". Archived from the original on 24 September 2018.
  5. "Cash-strapped rehab unit closes". BBC News. 22 February 2006. Retrieved 3 July 2008.
  6. "Doxford House: Historic mansion of Sunderland shipbuilding family set to become family home once more". Sunderland Echo . Retrieved 29 August 2015.[ dead link ]