History
Ninebanks Church and Community Hall
The beginnings of the hall lie in the reading room, games room, and school room that were built in 1853. The hall, as it is now, was constructed in 1934 on the site of the original rooms with additional land donated by Mr. W Coulson of “Chairheads.”
The money to build the hall was raised over 28 years by local people through various community events such as whist drives, barn dances in farm barns, bring and buys, and sports days on Hawkuplee’s field, as well as donations and subscriptions.
In 1933, the Parochial Church Council met to consider the building of the hall. Mrs. Blackett-Ord of Whitfield Hall sent £50, and Capt. Blackett-Ord presented the plans for the building, which included a main hall made of wood, two cloakrooms, and a kitchen of stone.
The plans were accepted, and tenders were invited from building contractors in Alston and Allendale. A tender of £472 from Messrs Boulton and Paul (Norwich) Newcastle was accepted by a special committee at a meeting held in the vicarage on February 23rd, 1934.
The Hall was officially opened on October 13th, 1934 by Mrs. Blackett-Ord. She was presented with a bouquet by Don McLean, the vicar’s son.
The hire charges were agreed as follows:
- All meetings: 3 Shillings
- Whist Drives and Dances: 15 Shillings between 7 PM and 11:30 PM on weekdays
- Whist Drives and Dances: 17/6 from 7 PM to 2 AM on Saturday nights.
The hall remains a vital part of the community and is available for hire for meetings and functions. Please see the "Community" and "Links" sections for more information.