Beningbrough Hall, Gallery and Gardens

Beningbrough Hall has sat in a regal state near Beningbrough to the north-west of York since 1716 when it was built by local landowner and High Sheriff of Yorkshire John Bourchier, to replace an earlier Elizabethan building. A classic Georgian house in red-brick with gravel drive, Beningbrough Hall is now a well-loved museum whose interiors are full of art and whose gardens are a joy for families to wander in.

Beningbrough’s changing exhibitions are carefully curated. Working with artists, in partnership with museums and galleries, and drawn from National Trust collections. The current exhibition Inspired by Italy brings together the work of Kate Somervell, a Yorkshire-based black and white photographer, and Giovanni Battista Piranesi, an eighteenth-century Italian artist.

Beningbrough Hall is now a well-loved museum whose interiors are full of art and whose gardens are a joy for families to wander in

Of course, Beningbrough is also home to Classic 18th-century art and design. The National Trust property hosts collections from around the country. You’ll find portraits of the Royal family, actors, painters and politicians from the National Portrait Gallery collection, as well as a fine collection of Oriental ceramics from the Ashmolean Museum. There are also plenty of fine pieces of period furniture.

You can also find high-quality food at Beningbrugh, ranging from coffee-and-a-cake fare to more substantial lunches, especially the one-pot stews. The café also offers fancy cream teas.

The grounds include enchanting gardens, including the famous ‘ha ha’ – a ditch designed to stop livestock from getting into the grounds without breaking the view with a fence. There are over eight acres of gardens to explore, including a kitchen garden and many fascinating trees which are catalogued on the National Trust website. The gardens are set up to accommodate different birds and insects.

For those inspired by the gardens, there’s a well-stocked gift shop, focussing on gardening supplies but also including arts and crafts.