Originally built for the Bowes family, Manor House has a character that reflects its colourful past, as Sarah Millington finds out

The Northern Echo: Brian Young Photography

Brian Young Photography

ABOUT three years ago, David Owens had a surprising phone call. It was from the makers of the popular TV show, Long Lost Family – would it be possible, they wondered, to come and film at his house? David, 38, a mobile hairdresser, takes up the story. “It used to be an unmarried mothers’ home in the Fifties,” he explains. “A lady had had a child here and had given him up, and he was living in Australia. They had a reunion in the library with Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell.”

If this sounds out of the ordinary, somehow, it seems in keeping with the character of the house, in Howden-le-Wear. There’s nothing typical or average about it, from the stone from the original property built in 1511 which still, apparently, bears the Bowes family coat of arms; to the ornate stained glass; to the interior, which can best be described as dramatic. It was this uniqueness, which strikes you as soon as walk into the wood-panelled entrance hall, that convinced David he wanted to live there.

“I’ve always wanted a big house, but there’s a lot of work to it,” he says. “I loved its character, but when I moved in it was virtually derelict. It hadn’t been lived in for four years. It had a huge hole in the roof so the water had come down three floors. The day I moved in, I turned the water on and all the pipes had burst and there were leaks all over the house.”

Discovering this makes Manor House’s opulence seem even more remarkable. Built for the illustrious Bowes family, like most properties of its age, it’s led a chequered life (as well as a refuge for unmarried mothers, it was once also, as David puts it, a “bad lads’” home).

Respectful of its heritage – and not wanting to go against the house’s distinctive style – David has stuck with the traditional, adding several Chesterfields (there’s virtually one in every room) and vintage pieces like ornate gilt chairs sourced from auction rooms. The colour green runs throughout, starting with plain walls in the entrance hall and continuing with a rich gold and green wallpaper; and everywhere you look something draws the eye, from theatre-style lights in the kitchen to leopard print wallpaper in one of the bathrooms. Understated this house is not.

David says that, despite the necessary repairs, it was fairly well preserved. “I’ve been really lucky to have all the features still there,” he says. “Supposedly, after the Bowes family, a guy from Sunderland bought the house. He was some sort of merchant – I don’t know if a lot of the timber has come from that. It was originally called Smelt House and the smelt works was behind. At one time, the smelt works owner lived here.”

A brief scan of the internet on David’s phone reveals his name – George Coates. His presence remains in the form of the initials GC, carved into the fireplace in the snug. Like all the woodwork, this is magnificent, with the kind of intricate workmanship that, these days, must be all but extinct – and even if it wasn’t, would cost a fortune. David points out the equally impressive wooden staircase. “I think this is original," he says.

For inspiration, he turned to books, and most of the wallpapers – of which there are many – generally bold – are from Glenwood Interiors in Darlington. Another favourite is Roberto Cavalli, and the striking leaf-patterned paper on the dining room walls is by the Italian designer. With a house so big – and so dramatic – David felt it was only right to be adventurous. “They’re all big rooms so you’ve got to do something else rather than just paint them white or grey,” he says. “I think it’s also the age of the house – you couldn’t make it modern really. I just went with what was here.”

In the kitchen and bathrooms, however, he has reined in his extravagance. The bathrooms are contemporary, with high-gloss tiles and freestanding baths, and the kitchen is pared-back in monochrome with splashes of red. What drew David towards this choice? “I think it’s nice to keep the kitchen simple,” he explains. “When I have people round, this is where they tend to end up.”

The main living room – more sparsely furnished than usual, due to a flood – has yet more of the ubiquitous wood panelling and a large window that looks out onto the property’s almost three acres of land. It’s a lovely view, with the lawn gently sloping down to a lake, and David says there was once even a rail track. “Years ago, the Bowes family had their own railway to the house,” he says. “It’s hard to imagine it now. I’d love to see what life was like back then.”

Having lived there for six years – and much as he loves Manor House – David feels it’s now time to move on. With seven, individually-styled bedrooms spread over two floors, he believes it would make a great high-end B&B. “It would be ideal – especially with Kynren in Bishop Auckland,” he says. “The third floor could be self-contained as it has three rooms, including a bathroom with a roll-top bath. The owners could live there and rent the rest out.”

Whatever happens after David moves out will mark the start of a new chapter in Manor House’s eventful life. Chances are, it will be more sedate than what has gone before – but then again, who knows?