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Newby Hall, near Ripon, is the Yorkshire home of Mr and Mrs Richard Compton. Featured in BBC television's "Heirs and Graces", this beautiful late 17th century house, with much of the interior later designed by Robert Adam, was built in the style of Sir Christopher Wren.

The early history of Newby leaves gaps from the thirteenth century, when it was recorded as the property of the Nubie family, who took their name from the place, to the seventeenth century when Newby belonged to Sir Jordan Crossland, appointed Governor of Scarborough Castle by Charles II. His son sold the estate to Sir Edward Blackett, who had become Member of Parliament for Ripon in 1689. Blackett demolished the old house, which stood much closer to the river, and built the main block of the present house during the 1690s.

Celia Fiennes visited Newby on her tour of the north in 1697 and recorded in her diary, 'This was the finest house I saw in Yorkshire'. On Blackett's death, Newby passed to his son and then to his son's nephew, who sold it in 1748 to the Weddell family.

William Weddell, an ancestor of Mr Compton, was a prominent member of the Dilettanti society and had made the "Grand Tour" in 1765-6. Amongst the treasures he brought back from Europe were magnificent classical sculptures and a superb set of Gobelins Tapestries. In order to house all these treasures, Weddell commissioned the Architect Robert Adam to create the splendid domed Sculpture Gallery and Tapestry Room that we see today. Indeed the entire contents of the Tapestry Room are still in their original condition, which makes the room unique.

At the beginning of the 19th century the third Lord Grantham built the Regency Dining Room; it is in marked contrast to Adam's fine mouldings and the graceful elegance of the rest of the house - an elegance restored in recent years by Mrs Compton, who painstakingly researched Adam's original colours. Newby also possess many fine pieces of Chippendale furniture, porcelain and paintings.

Award Winning Gardens

25 acres of award-winning Gardens are full of rare and beautiful plants. Newby's famous double herbaceous borders form the main axis; off this central walk are formal compartmented gardens such as Sylvia's Garden, a species Rose Garden, Water Garden and even a Tropical Garden - truly "A Garden for All Seasons". The National Collection of 'Cornus' is also held at Newby.

Corporate Hospitality and Weddings

Built in the 1690s and enlarged and adapted in the 18th century, Newby Hall epitomises the Georgian "Age of Elegance". The interiors present Robert Adam at his very best and Newby is a much loved family home. The world famous gardens slope gently down to the River Ure and cover 40 acres.

Newby Hall is perfectly placed to cater for a wedding (both civil ceremony & reception), dinner, drinks party (or a conference in the "Grantham Room"), with room for a theatre styyle conference for 120, or to dine 100. Or for that more intimate special event, the magnificent setting of the Statue Gallery and adjoining Library.

Opening Times - 2010:

House:
1st April - 26th September: Tuesday - Sunday & Bank Holiday Mondays, 12 noon - 5 pm
Last admission 4 pm

Areas of the House may be closed at times, please check their website for details.

Garden:
Dates as for House, 11 am - 5.30 pm, 10.30 am opening by special arrangement
Last admission 5 pm

Winter: October - end March, closed

Admission Prices - 2010:

House & Garden:
Adult - £12
Child/Disabled - £9.50
Senior - £10
Family (2+2) - £40
Family (2+3) - £43

Groups (15+):
Adult/Senior - £10.50
Child/Disabled - £8

Garden only:
Adult - £8.50
Child/Disabled - £7.50
Senior - £7
Family (2+2) - £30
Family (2+3) - £35

Groups (15+):
Adult - £7
Child (4 - 16yrs) - £6

More information on the garden can be found on The Gardens Guide.