The best stately homes to visit in Yorkshire

Stately homes in North Yorkshire

Castle Howard

Castle Howard near Malton is arguably one of the most-recognised stately homes in Yorkshire and has been featured in several versions of Brideshead Revisited. Built during the 1700s it contains both Baroque and Palladium architecture and the beautiful rooms include the Grand Hall with its painted domed ceiling.

There is a lot to explore outside too, including walled gardens, fountains, statues, a boating lake and Ray Woods. It’s a lovely day out for the whole family and there is a great farm shop on-site too, where free bones are on offer if you have a dog with you! (subject to availability). Dogs are also welcome in the grounds and to join you in Castle Howard’s Courtyard Café

Nunnington Hall

Nunnington Hall  is a Yorkshire manor house that’s located on the banks of a peaceful river near York. A stone bridge over the river separates the grounds of the house from the village if you want to take a stroll. Explore the beautifully-restored period rooms within this National Trust property and outside, a walled garden, peacocks and flowering meadows can be enjoyed by all the family.

If you've got children to entertain there are various nature trails, bug hunts and events throughout the year and grown ups can admire a range of art and photography exhibitions which take place in the attic gallery and hall. It’s also well worth taking afternoon tea at the atmospheric tearoom during your visit which boasts wonderful views across the garden.

Newby Hall and Gardens

Newby Hall and Gardens near Ripon is a great family-friendly day out in Yorkshire. This 18th-century country house beside the River Ure is a grade I listed building with a delightful collection of furniture, paintings and precious artefacts. Inside the Hall, rooms include the tapestry room, the statue gallery and the billiards room, all an exceptional example of 18th-century interior design. 

Built in the 1690s by Sir Christopher Wren, the house was later adapted and enlarged by both John Carr and Robert Adam. Children will absolutely love the miniature railway and adventure playground within the grounds of Newby Hall. Both children and adults will love visiting the teddies at Gyles Brandreth's Teddy Bear Collection, in their 'paw'pose built home in the gardens. Little ones can also check out the Mr Men and Little Miss items on offer in the gift shop while their parents find something lovely to buy.

Duncombe Park

Located on the edge of Helmsley in the North York Moors, Duncombe Park is a historic house that’s set in 450 acres. The land comprises gardens, 300 acres of parkland and a nature reserve so there’s plenty to see and do on a visit. One of Yorkshire's finest historic houses and estates, it is the seat of the Duncombe family whose senior members assumed the title Earl and Countess of Feversham until 1963. 

Events throughout the year include steam, country and antique fairs and the International Centre for Birds of Prey is based on the grounds too. Many people go to just discover the parklands with their waymarked walks, discovery trails and orienteering courses for all ages. 

Hovingham Hall

The Palladian-style Hovingham Hall is located in the Howardian Hills (an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and lies between Helmsley and Malton. It's a thriving rural estate which has been owned by the Worsley family for 450 years and was the childhood home of the Duchess of Kent. Built in the 18th century on a site that the family have owned since the 16th century, it makes a great day out for those who love a little history in a beautiful location. 

As the majority of the estate lies within the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it really is a joy to visit - head to the Flower Gardens and The Dovecote, with the Glasshouse offering a taste of the tropical for those who like their blooms a little exotic. The house includes a beautiful domed ceiling, lots of architectural features and an array of artwork and furniture. Cricket is regularly played on the ground at the front of the house so you may well catch a game on a visit to Hovingham Hall - it is said to be the oldest continuously played on, private cricket ground in England.

Fairfax House

Fairfax House is located in the centre of York and is one of the finest examples of a Georgian townhouse in England. The house has regular events and exhibitions throughout the year and contains an impressive collection of furniture, clocks and paintings. 

Explore hidden treasures and discover the secrets within the house as you are taken back to the glory days of city-living in 18th-century York. Originally the winter home of Viscount Fairfax and his daughter Anne, the house's richly decorated interiors and elegant stucco ceilings make it a masterpiece of Georgian design and architecture. Children will love meeting Gregory, the Townhouse Mouse, who along with his friends has left a family-friendly trail to follow through Fairfax House. 

Map of stately homes in North Yorkshire

Stately homes in East Yorkshire

Scampston Hall

The 17th century Scampston Hall is a wonderful example of a Regency country house. It’s first and foremost a family home although you can arrange a tour with Sir Charles Legard and a team of friendly guides. The house has many fine works of art, furniture and porcelain to discover, and it is often used as a wedding venue and setting for corporate events. Home to Christopher and Miranda Legard, and lovingly restored by the family, you won't be kept behind ropes or barriers, enabling you to see everything at close quarters and ask any questions that you may have about the house.

Scampston offers a diverse range of events throughout the year, including plant fairs, gardening courses, academic lectures and painting classes. Don’t miss The Scampston Walled Garden which is set within the walls of Scampston Hall’s original kitchen garden and was designed by Piet Oudolf to complement the adjacent 18th-century Capability Brown-designed parkland. 

Burton Agnes Hall

The Elizabethan Burton Agnes Hall has been described as the perfect English country house and has a beautiful setting in the Yorkshire Wolds. It’s filled with treasured art and furniture and was originally designed by Robert Smithson – Master Mason to Queen Elizabeth I. Set in the village of Burton Agnes, near Driffield in the East Riding of Yorkshire, it was built by Sir Henry Griffith at the beginning of the 17th century to designs attributed to Robert Smythson. 

Home to the same family for over 400 years, fifteen generations have filled the Hall with beautiful treasures, from French Impressionist paintings to tapestries and carvings. The grounds are home to gorgeous gardens, a woodland walk and giant games to keep younger visitors happy. They will love ambling along the shady path to the woodland adventure playground which sits in a grassy glade at the side of the home. Hop on the double zip wire, tyre swings and five-person seesaw and if you have toddlers with you, there's a gentler play area for them to burn off some energy without getting hurt. 

Burton Constable Hall

Another Elizabethan stately home in the Yorkshire Wolds is the magnificent Burton Constable Hall & Grounds. A Grade I listed building set in a 300-acre park, it is known for its 18th and 19th-century interiors and its fine 18th-century cabinet of curiosities. There are grand rooms filled with art and architecture as well as a restored stable block with exhibitions telling the history of the stables through the years.

Home to the Constable family for over 700 years, Burton Constable is one of the most interesting country houses to survive complete with its historic collections, making it a fascinating historical day out for all the family. If the house isn't enough, there are a variety of events on throughout the year including mindful yoga, willow weaving and the fun Muddy March. Behind the scenes tours lets you delve into the nooks and crannies of Burton Constable and there is lots of historic parkland to discover which was designed by Capability Brown.

Sledmere House

This partly Georgian and partly Edwardian country house is surrounded by the East Yorkshire Wolds with the seaside towns of Filey and Flamborough close by. It’s been owned and lived in by the Sykes family since the 18th century and the majestic rooms are filled with treasures that have been collected through the years.

It’s up to you whether you take a guided tour of the house or wander round in your own time but either way there’s lots to see in this wonderful Yorkshire stately home. Outside Sledmere House are beautiful gardens with a variety of different colour palettes that have featured in BBC Gardeners World. There’s also an adventure playground and a rare breed conservation farm where kids can enjoy a cuddle with lambs and baby goats.    

Sewerby Hall

This historic country house is nestled in 50 acres of glorious parkland and has a dramatic cliff top location that looks out over Bridlington and the Yorkshire Coast. The Grade I listed Georgian stately home has been restored to its former glory and contains items from the Victoria and Albert Museum. There’s lots of interactive things to see and do including a working kitchen, authentic clothes to dress up in and a nursery where kids can play with Edwardian toys.

The grounds of Sewerby Hall include woodland walks, beautiful rose gardens, wooden carvings and flower trails to follow. There’s also an on-site zoo with animals ranging from llamas and micro pigs to Capuchin monkeys and Humboldt penguins. One of the best ways to get to the stately home is on a Land Train which runs along the cliff tops from the promenade at Bridlington to Sewerby Hall.

Map of stately homes in East Yorkshire

Stately homes in West Yorkshire

Harewood House

Harewood House is a magnificent stately home between Harrogate and Leeds. Built in the 18th century by Edwin Lascelle, Harewood House is known as one of England’s treasure houses. No expense was spared on its creation and you’ll find family portraits by Gainsborough, furniture by Thomas Chippendale and gardens designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.

There is lots to do in the grounds of Harewood House too, with boat trips, giant games in the walled garden, an open-air cinema and an adventure playground that kids will love. The impressive Yorkshire stately home was featured in ITV’s Victoria and in the Downton Abbey film and you can explore rooms such as Princess Mary’s Dressing Room and the State Dining Room to be transported back in time. It's also well worth visiting the Harewood Bird Garden which is home to 40 species of birds including Chilean Flamingos and Humboldt Penguins, which you may even get to feed!

Bramham Park

This Grade I listed stately home is located between Leeds and Wetherby and the extensive grounds, which cover around 900 acres, are the setting for the popular Leeds Festival where music performers from around the world gather at the site during the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Follow a 6.5 mile walk from the village of Bramham to take in some of the woodland and lakes of this grand estate using permissive footpaths. Bramham Park was designed during the late 17th century with a neoclassical style and you can seek out follies, chapels and temples as you explore the gorgeous gardens.

Temple Newsam

Located on the outskirts of Leeds, Temple Newsam is a Tudor-Jacobean House whose former inhabitants include Lord Darnley, the murdered husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. The stately home was restored during the 20th-century and is now a fascinating museum telling stories of the past. There are 40 different rooms to explore and 1500 acres of parkland that was designed by Capability Brown. The grounds include a trio of ‘Menagerie Pond’ lakes, nature trails and a beautiful walled garden. Also at Temple Newsam is Home Farm which is one of the largest rare breed centres in Europe. Children especially will love paying a visit and getting up close to the animals.

Nostell

This grand Georgian palladian-style mansion was built by two generations of the Winn family between the 1720s and 1780s to show off their wealth. Set on the original site of a sprawling medieval monastery, there are 300 acres of grounds to explore at this National Trust site with meadows and woodland that are teeming with nature and filled with seasonal blooms.

Children can have fun at the Nostell adventure playground which has a magical woodland setting and everyone will love exploring gorgeous gardens which feature exotic banana palms and a fairytale house.

Map of stately homes in West Yorkshire

Stately homes in South Yorkshire

Wentworth Woodhouse

This magnificent mansion is one of the largest historic houses in Europe with the longest facade of any English stately homes. A project is currently underway to restore the 365 rooms of Wentworth Woodhouse but visitors are able to wander around grand state rooms including the ballroom featured in the Downton Abbey movie.  

The house is surrounded by 50-acres of gardens with wildflower meadows, ancient meadows and 18th-century follies. Visitors can enjoy views over the landscape from the Ha-Ha, relax with a picnic on a deckchair and challenge the family to a garden game on the sweeping lawn. 

Cusworth Hall Museum Park

Cusworth Hall is a Georgian Grade I listed stately home that’s located a couple of miles from Doncaster in South Yorkshire. The historic house is now a fascinating museum with collections of items and displays showing different aspects of Doncaster life from the 18th-century onwards. 

Visitors can take a look at the Hall’s Great Kitchen and see where feasts would have been prepared for the visiting gentry then explore the acres of historic parkland that surround Cusworth Hall. There are walking trails around glistening lakes, nature-rich woodlands, plenty of places for a picnic and large fields where you can play ball games with the family. You can even enjoy a pint at an on-site microbrewery which is located in the old Cusworth Hall brewhouse.   

Brodsworth Hall and Gardens

Originally built in the 1860s by the wealthy Thellusson family, Brodsworth Hall is a grand historic home which started to fall into disrepair as the family’s fortunes diminished. The country house was ‘conserved as seen’ by English Heritage and shows life how it would have been for its Victorian inhabitants with fully furnished interiors and the sense of faded grandeur on full display.

Wandering around the glorious ‘grand gardens in miniature’ is a highlight of any visit to Brodsworth. You’ll find statue walks, colourful borders, hidden dells and Victorian pleasure grounds with a fountain centrepiece dotted around the Italian-style gardens and if you visit during school holidays there are lots of family-friendly activities for kids.

Map of Yorkshire stately homes

Plan your getaway to Yorkshire

If you’re looking for more holiday inspiration, read our comprehensive things to do in Yorkshire guide which includes National Trust sites, Yorkshire walks and dog-friendly days out. If these beautiful houses have you craving your own luxury Yorkshire trip, we have the self-catering cottage for you. Whether you are looking for a cosy retreat for two or a dog-friendly holiday home that will sleep the whole extended family, browse our full range of Yorkshire cottages to find your perfect base.