Beningbrough Hall
Encyclopedia
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Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
mansion near the village of Beningbrough
Beningbrough
Beningbrough is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. The parish includes Beningbrough Park and Beningbrough Hall. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 55. The River Ouse forms the border of the parish with the Harrogate district and the...
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
overlooking the River Ouse
River Ouse, Yorkshire
The River Ouse is a river in North Yorkshire, England. The river is formed from the River Ure at Cuddy Shaw Reach near Linton-on-Ouse, about 6 miles downstream of the confluence of the River Swale with the River Ure...
. It boasts one of Britain's finest baroque interiors and an attractive walled garden, as well as being home to over 100 portraits on loan from the National Portrait Gallery. It has a restaurant, shop and garden shop, and was shortlisted in 2010 for the Guardian Family Friendly Museum Award.
History
At one time the site of a modest Elizabethan manor houseManor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
, built by Sir Ralph Bourchier on his inheritance to the estate in 1556, the present house, situated a few miles outside of York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, was created for his descendent, John Bourchier.
Beningbrough was built in 1716 by a York landowner, John Bourchier III to replace his family's modest Elizabethan manor, which had been here since 1556. It has a baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
interior and amazing cantilever
Cantilever
A cantilever is a beam anchored at only one end. The beam carries the load to the support where it is resisted by moment and shear stress. Cantilever construction allows for overhanging structures without external bracing. Cantilevers can also be constructed with trusses or slabs.This is in...
ed stairs, exceptional wood carving and unusual central corridors which run the length of the house. Externally the house is an imposing red-brick Georgian mansion with a grand drive running up to the main frontage.
Little is known about the architect. Possibly it was Thomas Archer
Thomas Archer
Thomas Archer was an English Baroque architect, whose work is somewhat overshadowed by that of his contemporaries Sir John Vanbrugh and Nicholas Hawksmoor. Archer was born at Umberslade Hall in Tanworth-in-Arden in Warwickshire, the youngest son of Thomas Archer, a country gentleman, Parliamentary...
. Local builder William Thornton oversaw the construction, but Beningbrough's actual designer remains a mystery.
After over 100 years in the Bourchiers' possession, the estate passed to the Dawnay family, their distant relatives. The house was neglected, prompting fears that it might be demolished. In 1916 a wealthy heiress, Enid Scudamore-Stanhope, Countess of Chesterfield
Enid Scudamore-Stanhope, Countess of Chesterfield
Enid Edith Scudamore-Stanhope, Countess of Chesterfield was born 10 September 1878 at Marske Hall in Yorkshire. She was the fourth child of Charles Henry Wilson, 1st Baron Nunburnholme and Florence Jane Helen Wellesley. On 15 February 1900 at the age of 21 she married Edwyn Francis...
, bought it and immediately set about its restoration. She filled it with furnishings and paintings from her ancestral home, Holme Lacy
Holme Lacy
-Etymology:Holme Lacy is not from Old Norse holmr "island" like other places of the name Holme, but from the fairly similar Old English hamm "land in a river-bend". The name was recorded as Hamme in the Domesday Book in 1086...
. Lady Chesterfield died in 1957.
In June 1958 the estate was acquired by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
after it had been accepted by the government in lieu of death duties at a cost of £29,250 following the death of Enid Scudamore-Stanhope, Countess of Chesterfield
Enid Scudamore-Stanhope, Countess of Chesterfield
Enid Edith Scudamore-Stanhope, Countess of Chesterfield was born 10 September 1878 at Marske Hall in Yorkshire. She was the fourth child of Charles Henry Wilson, 1st Baron Nunburnholme and Florence Jane Helen Wellesley. On 15 February 1900 at the age of 21 she married Edwyn Francis...
. In partnership with the National Portrait Gallery it exhibits more than 100 18th century portraits and has seven new interpretation galleries called Making Faces: 18th century Style. Outside the main building there is a Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
laundry and a walled garden
Walled garden
A walled garden is specifically a garden enclosed by high walls for horticultural rather than security purposes, though traditionally all gardens have been hedged about or walled for protection from animal or human intruders...
with extensive vegetable planting, the produce from which is used by the walled garden restaurant.
The Hall is set in extensive grounds and is separated from them by a fine example of a ha-ha (a sunken wall) to prevent sheep and cattle getting into the Hall's gardens or the Hall itself.
Beningbrough Hall has a wide range of activities including a wilderness play area, community orchard, new Italianate
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
border and garden shop. It also hosts many events, activity days and family art workshops (Artrageous! workshops). It also holds an annual food and craft festival, in 2010 this will be a big green festival; www.biggreenfestival.org.uk