Nostell Priory

I've just returned from a holiday, so I need a few days to sort out my photos. In the meantime, I've just realised that I never shared any photos of one of the expeditions I made last autumn, to Nostell Priory near Wakefield. I'll remedy that now. It gives us an excuse to enjoy those lovely autumn colours, so different from the current bright spring shades.

Nostell, a Georgian mansion built between 1727 and 1785, was the home of the Winn family, who had originally made their money from the London textile trade in Tudor times and then added to it by investment in property and land. They bought the Nostell estate in 1654. By the 18th century, as a high status family and now with a knighthood, they wanted to replace the original house with a new one that would demonstrate (and increase) their status and wealth. Over two generations, they employed James Paine (who was only 19 when he began the work) to create an imposing and fashionable Palladian mansion, and craftsmen like Robert Adam and Thomas Chippendale to create and furnish the interior. Waning family fortunes and early deaths meant the project was never completely finished, until the discovery of ironstone and coal on the family's various estates revived their wealth. By the late 19th century, Nostell was finally fulfilling the grand vision for which it had been conceived. It was given to the National Trust in 1953 and is hailed as one of the great houses of the North of England.

There is plenty to explore inside the house and also a huge estate of gardens, lakes and parkland for visitors to enjoy.