Women of Temple Newsam Tour at Temple Newsam
Carmel Smickersgill, Tours & Activities Editor
Temple Newsam is an often overlooked piece of history in East Leeds. Aside from the cuteness of the farm or the picturesque walks which you can take around the surrounding park, the house itself is a fascinating piece of history. In this guided tour the lives of women who owned, lived in or associated with the household will be brought to the spotlight. Through this female filter you’ll experience a whole other side to the lavish lifestyle of Temple Newsam’s Ladies.
The house is a Tudor Jacobean Mansion with over 42 rooms. It was originally built between 1500 – 1520 by Thomas Lord Darcy and has since passed through many hands including Royalty. As the largest house of its type in Yorkshire at the time, the building attracted a lot of attention bringing with it nobel women such as Emily Charlotte Meynell-Ingram, the golfer Poppy Wingate and Lady Isabella Hertford. These ladies were highly influential characters in their time.
There is also the more ethereal story of Mary Ingram, more commonly known as the Blue Lady. A 14 year old and the granddaughter of Sir Arthur Ingram, who met an early death after a traumatic experience. It is said that visitor assistants at the house still hear doors slamming, footsteps and loud crashes which are accredited to her ghost.
You can see these notable women on the walls of Temple Newsam to this day, as their portraits decorate rooms, staircases and banqueting halls. Discover their intricate and fascinating stories for yourself with this whistle stop tour of their lives.
The tour lasts 90 minutes and begins in The Great Hall.
