In 1895, fifty-three people purchased three farms consisting of 215 acres of land to establish a housing estate.
They named the estate after the original farms, calling it the The Painshawfield, Batt House and Birches Nook Estate.
From the beginning, they were determined to protect the Estate’s unique character, recognising that relying on local authority planning controls could, over time, erode its distinctive environment.
To safeguard the Estate, they established two enduring principles:
- All land would be subject to a Deed of Mutual Covenants containing restrictive covenants.
- No building could take place without the consent of an elected Estate Committee made up of owners.
These principles have guided the Estate for more than a century.
Today there are 301 houses on the Estate – significantly fewer than the 870 that would be permitted under the policies of Northumberland County Council. This careful stewardship preserves the spacious, tranquil character envisioned by the original Covenantors.
At its heart, the Estate has always been about self-determination. About owners collectively shaping the environment in which they live.
A democratically elected Estate Committee – made up of homeowners from the Estate – continues to uphold that founding vision, applying the Deed democratically and ensuring the long-term protection of the Estate for the benefit of all who live here.