The History of Newby Hall
by Richard Compton
My family has lived here since 1748 when Newby was bought for my ancestor, William
Weddell, through a legacy from his uncle.
Elsewhere on the Newby Hall internet site I have said more about the fine gardens
and the enjoyable facilities for visitors of all ages. In this section however
I describe how Newby evolved and I also give an overview on the many interesting
connections which gives Newby its unique position in architecture and horticulture.
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 1690's using Sir Christopher Wren.
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.
Newby and Weddell
The next twenty-five years were to see great changes at Newby. William Weddell
must have been a man of great taste and knowledge, and indeed was a prominent
member of the Dilettanti Society. He made the Grand Tour in 1765-6 and soon after
his return to England made contact with most of the leading neo-classical architects
- Carr, Chambers, Wyatt, James Stuart and, of course, Robert Adam. Weddell's intention
was to alter and enlarge the house for his classical sculpture (he had nineteen
chests from Rome) and for the set of Gobelin tapestries he had ordered in 1766.
Recent research has shown that John Carr probably added the two wings to the
east of the house and remodelled much of the main block at this time, turning
the house around and rebuilding the three central bays of the east elevation.
If Carr planned the Statue Gallery in its original form it was not to Weddell's
entire satisfaction because Robert Adam was commissioned in 1767 to complete the
galleries and to decorate the Tapestry Room and some of the interior of the house.
How Weddell must have loved the beauty and elegance of the result!
Externally the cupola on the roof of the original house was removed and a local
architect, William Belwood, was commissioned to add the porch to the east front
- now the main entrance. Belwood also designed the fine stables north of the house,
as well as the main entrance lodges in Skelton.
Lord Grantham's Influence
Weddell died in 1792 without children and Newby passed to his cousin, Thomas
Philip Robinson, who changed his name to Weddell, although he had already succeeded
his father and become the 3rd Lord Grantham. Grantham felt that perhaps the only
drawback of Weddell's beautiful house was the lack of a large, sunny sitting room,
and the library was too small for all his books. He therefore decided to turn
Adam's south-facing dining room into a library and build a new dining room on
the north-west corner of the house. An amateur architect himself (he later became
the first President of the RIBA), much of the design of the so-called Regency
Dining Room is attributable to him. In 1833 his aunt Annabel died and he inherited
from her the Earldom of de Grey, and Wrest Park in Bedfordshire.
Newby and the Vyners
Lord Grantham's younger daughter Mary married Henry Vyner of Gautby in Lincolnshire,
and Newby was given to Lady Mary soon after her marriage. In keeping with the
period, she seems to have had little respect for elegance and classical architecture,
yet she commissioned William Burges to build one of the finest Victorian churches
in Yorkshire, to stand in the park at Newby in commemoration of her son Frederick,
murdered by brigands in Greece. Burges also designed the forecourt piers to the
main entrance gates to the house, and placed the fine seat at the end of the statue
walk in the gardens.
Lady Mary's son Robert added the Victorian Wing and the Billiards Room above
the Regency Dining Room, (marring the fine proportions of the house). This wing
is none-the-less a period piece, the more marked as it stands in total contrast
to the graceful elegance of the rest of the house. Newby then passed to Robert's
daughter, my great grandmother, who lived here during the First World War and
gave it to my grandfather in 1921.
The Garden
My grandfather's main contribution during his tenure was the garden. He wrote
at the time, 'I found I had inherited an exceptionally beautiful home but no garden
to speak of - a lovely picture but no frame - I was determined to rectify this'.
First he planned the great double herbaceous borders, flanked by hedges of yew,
as a magnificent vista to link the south front with the river below. Off this
main axis he planned a series of formal gardens, each to show plants at their
best for every season of the year. The gardens he designed over fifty years cover
twenty-five acres and are a major contribution to twentieth-century gardening.
Newby Today
The legacy he left to my parents was a daunting one in terms of showing the best
of Newby to the public whilst retaining an acceptable degree of privacy for the
family - the house needed total restoration and redecoration and everything was
in the wrong place! They soon decided to move into the north wing of the house
and keep the northern part of the gardens for themselves, thus enabling visitors
to enter the house through the front door and have a complete tour of the main
rooms and bedrooms without retracing their steps, or 'treading on their toes'.
This meant moving the car park from the fine stables, where it spoiled the view,
to a more central position surrounded by trees. A connecting road had to be built,
and then an entrance pavilion to house an entrance area and the Newby Shop. Next
came the Garden Restaurant and Grantham Room for booked parties, sited in a sunny
corner of the kitchen gardens nearby.
In 1980, the Year of the Child, they planned the Adventure Gardens for children,
within easy reach of the restaurant. Finally, they decided to extend the 10¼ inch-gauge
miniature railway to run through the gardens alongside the river. The redecoration
of the house has now been completed, with great knowledge and flair by my mother,
and my father continues to tackle the huge task of maintaining and renovating
the twenty-five acres of garden. Luckily gardening is in his blood and he has
the knowledge and enthusiasm needed.
In these projects we have received financial help from the Historic Buildings
Council, the Countryside Commission and the English Tourist Board, but the cost
has been high and there is no profit for us - except in the knowledge that what
we have done provides much pleasure for thousands of visitors each year. Reward
for our efforts has also come from the British Tourist Authority, which 1979 acknowledged
the outstanding contribution made by Newby Hall and Gardens to British tourism,
and in 1983 gave Newby an award for the best restored house and garden. In 1986
Newby Gardens were further honoured, receiving the HHA/Christies Garden of the
Year Award.
Newby was fortunate indeed to have had my parents loving influence at such a
crucial time. My mother was responsible for the redecoration of all you see and
her flair and taste is known throughout the country. My father's continual adaption
of his father's creation is a marvel for all to see.
A new era in Newby's rich history has just started as we have moved into the
house with our young children. You may hear the "pitter patter" of small feet
(although you're more likely to hear the shouts of their parents!)
The baton my parents have handed over to Lucinda and me brings with it the responsibility
of being the custodian of one of Britain's treasures. We are happy to share Newby
with you and we continue to need all the help you can give by coming back to see
it. Without your help Newby cannot survive as one of the finest examples of the
age of elegance and of the heritage of our country.'
