Constable Mausoleum

The Constable Mausoleum, built between 1792 and 1802, was designed by Thomas Atkinson of York, with his son John completing the work for Sir Edward Constable. Charles Mountain of Hull made alterations to the base around 1830, and there were restorations approximately 1910. Constructed from limestone and sandstone ashlar, it is a classical style mausoleum. The building consists of a circular domed temple, approximately 9 metres in diameter, situated on a wider basement of approximately 15 metres diameter, with entrances and a staircase to the west. The basement has a plinth, chamfered rustication, and eight three-light sliding sash windows with glazing bars within reveals, each set beneath rusticated flat arches. A perron (a short raised walkway) leads to the south, featuring double board doors beneath a rusticated round arch, flanked by staircases with curtail steps and wrought-iron balustrades with plain bars, topped with pointed finials above a single top rail. Similar railings surround the flagstone roof, which forms a platform around the temple. The temple itself features a moulded plinth, an eight-bay pilastered round-arched blind arcade with recessed rectangular panels above, and an entrance with double-panelled doors in a reveal with an architrave, carrying a plain entablature with a moulded cornice. It has a plain frieze, moulded cornice, blocking course, and a dome with a moulded cap and a cross finial.

Inside the temple, the space features a plinth and half-domed niches within a full-height pilastered arcade, with carved and painted shields to the frieze. A plain ribbed vault has coloured glass to the skylight. A crucifix stands in the eastern niche, with carved arms above. A columned balustrade surrounds a central circular well, which contains a tall pedestal with a white urn inscribed to Sir William Constable, and inscribed grave slabs to the inner face. The basement interior has a vaulted corridor around the foot of the tower, displaying a series of inscribed tablets commemorating 18th- and 19th-century members of the Constable family. One tablet records that the remains of the family, originally collected in the old vault of the family adjoining the church of Halsham, were transferred to the mausoleum on 23rd August 1802.

The mausoleum is situated on a circular platform, reputedly the site of an earlier burial mound (tumulus), and is approached by an avenue of yew trees.