The imposing red-brick facades of Beningbrough Hall are set on a rise above the River Ouse on the flat plain of York.
The Hall was built for John Bourchier in 1716 a Yorkshireman who had a keen interest in Italian architecture. The Baroque architecture bears all the influence of Vanbrugh and the craftsmanship of William Thornton a celebrated local joiner and architect. The large rectangular building has two storeys with an attic floor and basement and is linked by screen walls to pavilions on either side.
Today, in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery, it offers a unique attraction with over 120 outstanding portraits of famous seventeenth and eighteenth-century figures, hung in furnished period rooms with important furniture and porcelaine collections.
The Hall is set within a Park and six acres of gardens, which are stunning in all seasons. The walled Garden has over twenty varieties of apple and pear trees.
Where is Beningbrough Hall?
Beningbrough Hall is located between the A19 and the A59 about 8 miles north west of York.