Legacy Record - This information may be included in the List Entry Details.
NEWBURGH NEWBURGH PARK
SE 57 NW
2/55 Newburgh Priory
28.2.52
GV I
Country house. C16, c.1600, C18 of various builds, restored c.1960. For the
Bellasis, Fauconberg and Wombwell families, the most important work by and for
the 4th Viscount Fauconberg 1725-45. Sandstone, partly rubble, partly dressed;
pantile, plain tile, stone slate and Westmorland slate roofs. Irregular plan,
basically 3 south ranges with kitchen wing to rear left of central range, shell
of gallery block recessed to rear right, and lesser ranges to rear left, the
first forming entrance to kitchen courtyard, the second returning around it.
South range, centre: C16 coursed rubble, pantile roof; 3 storeys, 5 bays;
plinth; ground and second floors have c.1600 small-paned 2-light mullion windows
with arched heads to lights and sunk spandrels, first-floor larger similar
3-light windows; blocked C16 chamfered vents below; classical string, ashlar
parapet, lead rainwater pipes. Right, extruded 3-storey porch of c.1600:
ashlar; Tuscan columns on ground floor, the entablature interrupted by round-
arched entrance; matching inner doorway with part-glazed door; small-paned
4-light mullion windows, those on top floor taller; Tonic and Corinthian orders
to first and second floors respectively; strapwork keystone in centre of top
entablature; Jacobean finials. Single columns, matching doorway and 3-light
windows on left return. Projecting right range dated 1745; ashlar. Westmorland
slate roofs. 2 taller storeys, 3 bays, plinth; central leaved part-glazed door
in architrave with pulvinated frieze and pediment on brackets; sash window with
glazing bars in eared architrave above. Projecting first and third bays have
segmental bows each with 3 windows on each floor, 15-pane sashes on ground
floor, sashes with glazing bars on first floor; first-floor band interrupted in
corners. Continuous cyma reversa cornice; parapet with blind panels above win-
dows and central coat of arms; classical urns to right of each bow. Left return
pecked ashlar; 2 sash windows with glazing bars on first floor, also stone
carved with Prince of Wales' feathers and date 1877. Right return has 3 bays
plus narrow round-headed lights to corridor, sash windows with glazing bars, of
15 panes on first floor, and dated rainwater head; affected by a fire in 1957
and refitted. Left range projects: added by 4th Viscount 1727-36; reused
coursed sandstone with ashlar dressings, Westmorland slate roof. 2 storeys, 7
bays, plinth, rusticated quoins; windows, of 4 panes on ground floor, 8 panes on
first floor, have projecting ashlar surrounds with small keystones. Cyma
reversa cornice, hipped roof; ashlar ridge stacks at intervals. Left forms
entrance to kitchen courtyard: 2 storeys, 2:3:1:3:2 bays; ends project slightly
and are quoined. Plinth; windows as on south side; centre bay has full-height
round-arched carriageway with alternately rusticated raised voussoirs and panel-
led leaved doors. Cyma reversa cornice, hipped stone slate roof; central cupola
above clock tower flanked by ridge stacks, also stacks at junctions of end sec-
tions. Rear (east) side has coat of arms on keystone of central arch, flanked
by matching arches to coach houses in ashlar with imposts and leaved board
doors, with 4-pane oculi in ashlar surrounds above, and large stable doors
beyond with sash windows of various sizes in ashlar surrounds above and to
right. Entrance range to kitchen courtyard returns on north side as brewhouse:
north side 2 storeys, 2:3:2 bays the end pairs projecting slightly; each has
board door, sash window with glazing bars and 2 first-floor oculi; centre has
3 full-height bricked-up keyed round arches with banded piers; hipped stone
slate roof being relaid at time of Resurvey; courtyard elevation of 5 bays on
ground floor has central leaved door in round-arched ashlar surround with
imposts and keystone, flanked by 20-pane sash windows, and with 8-panel door,
all in ashlar surrounds. First-floor 12-pane fixed lights in ashlar surrounds;
roof hipped to right. Gallery block at north-east corner dated 1735 but incor-
porating C16 and earlier material; pecked ashlar, roofless at time of resurvey;
L-shaped plan; 2 storeys; east elevation 11 bays having plinth, 9-pane
segmental-arched basement windows, tall narrow keyed first-floor window open-
ings, cornice and parapet matching south-east range; south return of 3 matching
bays; north return has altered C17 openings, James I and Bellasis coats of arms
and tall cornices stacks rising from parapet; west elevation has 3 doorways, 1
of them Tudor-arched, 2-light ground-floor and taller 3-light first-floor
mullion windows, all with arched heads, and with medieval carved stones includ-
ing grave covers. Inside is a 2-basin piscina with trefoiled head. Rear of
south-east range pecked ashlar; 2 storeys, 1:5:1 bays, in first bay on each
floor a shell niche with statue; 8-pane sash window with tripartite keystones
except for 12-pane sashes to ground floor bays 3-5. Right, 3-storey ashlar
porch has round-arched doorway with Ionic pilasters and entablature; first-floor
coat of arms with 3-light ovolo-mullion window above; entablature; balustraded
parapet with strapwork flanking pedimented niche with bust. Rear of south-west
range has similar fenestration to front, with 2 coats of arms on 2nd floor,
stone slate roof. Returning to right, kitchen wing dated 1767; ashlar plain
tile roof; single storey, 4 bays; pointed-arched hollow-chamfered 3-light
windows with segmental-arched heads to lights, intersecting tracery above; date
painted in centre between. Band; panelled parapet with central coat of arms.
Rear elevation to kitchen courtyard is of earlier date, with massive stepped
chimney truncated at top, and with bell below cover, bell said to be dated 1729
(VCH); plain C18 doorway in centre of chimney; to left of stack, lead rainwater
head dated 1732. Interior: (a) on first floor of south-west range, Drawing Room
with fine early C18 plasterwork by Cortese, overmantel with cartouche, side
panels with fruit drops, ceiling divided into 3, the central panel coved, the
outer ones with shallow elliptical domes, all richly decorated. (b) On north
side of central south range, porter's hall has C17 panelling removed from
Coxwold Grammar School (qv Old Hall) with names carved on it of old boys,
including that of architect William Wakefield, who probably had some hand in
alterations and new estate buildings at Newburgh, chamfered first-floor beams in
irregular H-pattern on carved corbels, brick floor. (c) On north side of first
floor of some block, Black Gallery with C17 panelling; Ionic fluted pilasters,
and broken pediment above fireplace. (d) On south side of (c), Justices' Room,
with bolection panelling and modillion cornice. (e) Next east of (d), the Small
Study, with C17 leather panelling. (f) At east end of central south range.
Elizabethan screen to turned-baluster open-well oak staircase, above which, in
attics formed c.1760 but not completed, is reputed tomb of Oliver Cromwell's
body, his daughter Mary having married the 2nd Viscount Fauconberg. (g) On
ground floor in south-east corner of central south range, the Small Drawing Room
has 3 arched openings in east wall with delicate Ionic columns and good Cortese
ceiling with musical instruments surrounded by flowers and foliage, and rich
modillion cornice. (h) Across entrance passage from (g), the large Drawing
Room, originally the Dining Room with pedimented door cases, good marble fire-
place, fluted Ionic columns to window bay, and Ionic pilasters framing round-
arched opening to serving recess with shell niches; bayleaf garland frieze and
good Cortese ceiling. (i) At rear of south-east range, Banqueting Room with
brown marble overmantel by Nicholas Stone, 1611, showing Mars, Diana and Venus;
oak eared door cases richly carved, the fireplace flanked by Adam-style niches.
(j) Kitchen has chamfered segmental-arched fireplaces flanking central chamfered
triangular-headed doorway; kitchen range and spit in right-hand fireplace.
John Cornforth, "Newburgh Priory, Yorkshire", Country Life March 7, 1974;
VCH ii, pp 9-10.
Listing NGR: SE5431476475
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 32 North Yorkshire,
