TAS Driffield Wolds' visit to Brockfield Hall, Warthill

Our second visit this year was to the late-Georgian Brockfield Hall, Warthill near York. Begun in 1804, the house was designed by Peter Atkinson, junior partner of John Carr of York and built for Benjamin Agar Esq. One of the outstanding features is the oval entrance with a cantilevered stone staircase curving past an impressive Venetian window. Another is the circular first floor bedroom, previously a sitting room, with its spectacular chinese wallpaper.

The house is occupied by Mr and the Hon Mrs Wood and it has recently undergone an extensive redecoration and refurbishment. Mr Wood is the grandson of the late Lord and Lady Martin Fitzalan Howard who bought the house in 1951. There are many portraits of the Howard and Stapleton families together with many of the Staithes Group pictures.

Our tour was conducted by Mr Wood's father, Mr Simon Wood and as an extra fillip, we were invited by him to see his extensive personal collection of Staithes Group paintings in the Garden House nearby.

Photos of hall and entrance by kind permission of Charlie Wood. Detail of wallpaper, Ann Bernard.