Shafto family

In 1716 both were attainted for their part in the Jacobite rising of 1715 and the Bavington estate was forfeited to the Crown.

He was succeeded by his nephew Sir Cuthbert Shafto, High Sheriff in 1795 and later by his son Robert.

Sir Cuthbert was divorced by his wife, Mary, in 1797, 'by reason of cruelty and adultery.

'[1] Robert Ingram Shafto held Bavington in 1835 but the male line became extinct and the estate passed to cousins in a junior branch of the family of Beamish Hall, Co Durham.

When Slingsby Duncombe Shafto sold Beamish in 1949 that branch of the family moved to Bavington.

Roberts younger brother Mark Shafto (1601-1659), was a Gray's Inn barrister, and was appointed Recorder of Newcastle in 1648.

He was succeeded by his son Robert Eden Duncombe Shafto (1776-1848) at Whitworth and as Member for County Durham 1804–08.

The Hall at Whitworth was severely damaged by fire in 1872 and apart from the library wing, was demolished and replaced with a new house about 1900.

The estate later passed to Slingsby Duncombe Shafto, High Sheriff of Durham in 1908, who sold it in 1949 and moved to Bavington Hall.