History - The House And Its Owners
Henry and Anne and the creation of the Picture Gallery 1738 - 1745
Henry seventh Viscount was not unduly perturbed on entering into his inheritance in 1736 despite 'three law suits
entailed upon me and an old house over my head. Ye gallery side has been so neglected that ye middle window has
left ye main wall & ye brick work is crack'd from top to Bottom. Ye workmen say it must be immediately pulled
down or it will come of it self & do more mischief'.
He set about creating new bedrooms and dressing rooms on the first floor of the Tudor wing and transforming the
north wing into a Picture Gallery flanked by a library and bedchamber. Unable to afford London craftsmen for the
whole job he employed the best available at York: Daniel Garrett the architect; Thomas Perritt and Joseph Rose for
plasterwork (including the medallion portraits of members of the royal family at 10/6d each); and the Fisher
family for wood carving. Robert Doe of London built the two chimney pieces from a design of William Kent and
the Italian artist Antonio Joli, then travelling in England, provided their overmantel paintings.
This great room was restored for its 250th birthday in 1996. The original green flock wallpaper was replicated,
the superb suite of needlework furniture conserved and covered in 'Manchester check' case covers, and the
paintings and frames cleaned. Of the eighty-three pictures recorded as hanging in this room in 1750, over half
have been returned to their original locations, mainly due to the generosity of the late Lord Halifax in 1948.
Charles & Frances 1758 - 1807
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