Former Castle Hotels in Darlington

An authentic 12th century castle set in 18 acres of lawns and woodlands.

The first house to be built on the Swinton Park estate was commissioned in 1695 by the English wool merchant and country gentleman Sir Abstrupus Danby. His successors built a stable block and gatehouse, and in the 1760s planted parks and created a chain of five lakes. In 1882, Samuel Cunliffe-Lister bought the castle at the age of 68. He embarked on an extensive building program, adding a third floor and expanding the dining room. From 1976 to 1998, the castle was occupied by the Lindley Education Foundation, which operated it as a management training center. Mark Cunliffe-Lister, Molly's great-grandson, bought the castle with his mother, brother and sister in May 2000. On June 17, 2000, Mark and Felicity (the current Baron and Baroness Masham) were married and, upon returning from their honeymoon, moved to Swinton to start the family business. The luxurious 32-bedroom castle hotel was opened in 2001 after a major renovation.