© Deeside House 2007
A substantial holiday let within the Yorkshire Dales National Park
The History of Dee Side House
Dee Side House was built on land formerly part of Scalegillfoot farm. The earliest reference to Dee Side by name is in 1836, when "John Elam Esquire of Dee Side" is listed as a trustee of Cowgill chapel. The Elams had purchased Scalegillfoot in 1824. That the family lived there is evidenced by the Dent electoral register of 1840 which lists "John Elam Esq. of Duside" (sic). The order book for Dent Marble Works has orders for "John Elam Esquire of
Dee Cottage" in 1844.
The 1851 Census lists the Rev William Matthews (incumbent of Cowgill) and family as resident at Dee Side (tenants). They are also listed in the 1861 Census.
In 1847 Dee Side was bought from Elam by William Thompson of Underley Hall, Kirkby Lonsdale. In 1853 Thompson purchased the fells above Dee Side (the north-facing side of Whernside) as a grousemoor. Dee Side and the grouse moor passed to his grandson, Lord Kenlis, later Earl of Bective, in 1854.
The 1871 Census names Dee Side residents as James Sedgwick, 58, "house keeper Earl Bective"; Isabella, 58, wife and house keeper, and Elizabeth, 6, niece. The 1881 Census lists the following resident servants: James Sedgwick, 69, "Gardener (Domestic Servant)"; Isabella, 69, wife; Elizabeth, 15, niece, "General Servant (Domestic)".
The 1891 Census has Dee Side "unoccupied". We believe it was being renovated. In 1892 it passed from the Bective family to the Cavendish-Bentincks. The 1901 Census has "Dee Side Shooting Lodge", occupants (not named) "away on census night".
Subsequent census returns are not open to public inspection, but the property remained with the Bentincks until Lady Bentinck's death in 1939, occupied by estate managers
and servants. The house was sold in 1942 by Lady Bentinck's executors to Helwith Bridge Road-Stone and Granite Co. Ltd. The occupant of Dee Side named in a list of tenants on the Dent Estate that year was Miss V E Godley.
After further conveyances the house was sold to the Youth Hostel Association in 1951. The YHA had signed a seven-year lease in 1950. It was a youth hostel until December 2006 when it was sold to its present owner, Peter Whitehead whose long-term aim is to renovate it and the adjacent coach house to a high standard for the enjoyment of future generations.
To summarise, the census returns and other available documentation demonstrate that Dee Side was occupied residentially from the 1830s to 1951, first by the Elams as owner/occupiers, then by his tenants, Rev Matthews and family, then by Lord Bective's servants, then by Lady Bentinck's servants, and finally by a tenant of the Helwith Bridge stone company. During these 120 years the house was evidently enlarged and extended to provide accommodation for the Bective/Bentincks' sporting guests, and from 1902 to 1939 it is recorded in the family rentals as "held in hand", occupied by domestic servants. Not until 1950 or 1951 did it cease to be a residential house and become a youth hostel.
Dee Side House was built on land formerly part of Scalegillfoot farm. The earliest reference to Dee Side by name is in 1836, when "John Elam Esquire of Dee Side" is listed as a trustee of Cowgill chapel. The Elams had purchased Scalegillfoot in 1824. That the family lived there is evidenced by the Dent electoral register of 1840 which lists "John Elam Esq. of Duside" (sic). The order book for Dent Marble Works has orders for "John Elam Esquire of
Dee Cottage" in 1844.
The 1851 Census lists the Rev William Matthews (incumbent of Cowgill) and family as resident at Dee Side (tenants). They are also listed in the 1861 Census.
In 1847 Dee Side was bought from Elam by William Thompson of Underley Hall, Kirkby Lonsdale. In 1853 Thompson purchased the fells above Dee Side (the north-facing side of Whernside) as a grousemoor. Dee Side and the grouse moor passed to his grandson, Lord Kenlis, later Earl of Bective, in 1854.
The 1871 Census names Dee Side residents as James Sedgwick, 58, "house keeper Earl Bective"; Isabella, 58, wife and house keeper, and Elizabeth, 6, niece. The 1881 Census lists the following resident servants: James Sedgwick, 69, "Gardener (Domestic Servant)"; Isabella, 69, wife; Elizabeth, 15, niece, "General Servant (Domestic)".
The 1891 Census has Dee Side "unoccupied". We believe it was being renovated. In 1892 it passed from the Bective family to the Cavendish-Bentincks. The 1901 Census has "Dee Side Shooting Lodge", occupants (not named) "away on census night".
Subsequent census returns are not open to public inspection, but the property remained with the Bentincks until Lady Bentinck's death in 1939, occupied by estate managers
and servants. The house was sold in 1942 by Lady Bentinck's executors to Helwith Bridge Road-Stone and Granite Co. Ltd. The occupant of Dee Side named in a list of tenants on the Dent Estate that year was Miss V E Godley.
After further conveyances the house was sold to the Youth Hostel Association in 1951. The YHA had signed a seven-year lease in 1950. It was a youth hostel until December 2006 when it was sold to its present owner, Peter Whitehead whose long-term aim is to renovate it and the adjacent coach house to a high standard for the enjoyment of future generations.
To summarise, the census returns and other available documentation demonstrate that Dee Side was occupied residentially from the 1830s to 1951, first by the Elams as owner/occupiers, then by his tenants, Rev Matthews and family, then by Lord Bective's servants, then by Lady Bentinck's servants, and finally by a tenant of the Helwith Bridge stone company. During these 120 years the house was evidently enlarged and extended to provide accommodation for the Bective/Bentincks' sporting guests, and from 1902 to 1939 it is recorded in the family rentals as "held in hand", occupied by domestic servants. Not until 1950 or 1951 did it cease to be a residential house and become a youth hostel.