The Lord Crewe Arms hotel was originally built as the abbot’s lodge, guest house and kitchen’s of Blanchland Abbey. The main entrance leads into what was the abbey kitchen and the Hilyard room and Crypt bar were store room’s where food from the abbey lands would have been kept. The giant fireplace in the Hilyard room was used for smoking and the curing of meat. High inside the chimney you can see the priest’s hiding hole.

Our garden (which is now a seduled ancient monument) was the abbey’s cloisters in which the monks took their exercise and relaxation…if any! The large archway by the garden door is the lavatorium where the monks would have washed. The sunken path across the lawn marks the approximate line of the cloister walk and the chapter house where the day to day running of the abbey was organised by the abbot and a chapter of canons. The row of cottages running down the side of the hotel garden, rebuilt by Lord Crewe’s trustees the 18^th century, includes part of the walls of the monk’s refectory or dinning room.

After the dissolution of the abbey in 1536 it’s estates and buildings were bought by the Radcliffe family and, in 1623, passed to the Forster’s of Bambourgh, both old Northumberland families. Blanchland abbey became a ruin and the other abbey buildings were converted into dwelling houses for the village; and the Abbot’s lodging, guest house and kitchen becoming the manor house.

In 1701 the last male heir of the Bambourgh Forster’s was murdered in Newcastle and the Blanchland estate was passed to his two co-heirs, his sister Dorothy Forster and his nephew Thomas Forster. Tom Forster also had a sister Dorothy whom we call Dorothy 11.

In 1699 Dorothy married Lord Crewe, Bishop of Durham. Financial problems forced Lady Crewe and Tom Forster to sell their Bambourgh and Blanchland estates. They were bought by Lord Crewe in 1704 for £20,679 and so Blanchland acquired that connection with his name which it has retained ever since.

Tom Forster was appointed commander of the Jacobite forces during the uprising of 1715. He had no qualifications whatever for such a post and, at Preston, surrendered to the government army without even trying to put up a fight. He was taken to London and imprisoned in Newgate gaol from where he managed to escape three days before he was due to stand for high treason. This escape was planned by his sister Dorothy 11 who disguised herself as his servant, rode to London behind the village blacksmith and made good her brothers escape.

It is belived that Tom and Dorothy returned to the Lord Crewe Arms and that Tom was hidden in the priest hole until he was able to escape to France where he died. Dorothy has remained at the Lord Crewe ever since…in spirit of course! Her presence has been felt by many in the part of the hotel where she had her apartment. She roams the building awaiting the return of her beloved brother Tom.