Farnley Hall

SE 24 NW FARNLEY OTLEY TO FARNLEY ROAD (south side, off) 4/14 Farnley Hall 6/2/52

GV I

Country house. C17 range restored c1870 and 1786-90 range by John Carr for Walter Beaumont Ramsden Fawkes. Coursed squaredgritstone and ashlar with stone slate and lead roofs. Square C18 block with L-shaped C17 and C19 range to rear. 2-storeys, 5 bays to front, 2 and 3 storeys and 3 bays to rear block. C18 range: glazed double-doors centre, with flanking engaged Tuscan columns carrying entablature and triangular pediment. Sashes with glazing bars, ground-floor sashes, central bay, round-headed. Floating wooden cornices removed mid C20. Sill band to ground floor, guilloche band at first-floor level, dentilled cornice, balustraded parapet. Corniced stacks flank centre block, another stack to left and right. 5-bay returns in similar style, the left return having stone moulded architraves to all windows and floating cornices to ground floor. Rear range (to north): entrance facade, east side, has irregular fenestration. Large central porch, C17, with Doric columns carrying entablature and elaborate scrolls and finials above cornice. Flanking C19 bay, round-headed-light, mullion and transom windows; other windows date from the C18, C19 and C20. 3 false gables above, also C19, with blocked round-headed windows. Interior: Carr range: fine staircase hall with cantilevered Imperial stair and Ionic (ground floor) and Corinthian (first floor) columns in antis. Detailed descriptions of rooms and decorative schemes in Country Life, 27 May 1954, pp 1714-1717. Rear range has fine linen-fold panelling and carved overmantles and an early C18 open well stair with ramped handrail. Much of it was probably brought to Farnley during the late C19. See Country Life, 20 May 1954. In 1796 Thomas Girtin and J M W Turner visited Farnley Hall from Harewood House and Turner became a close friend of Walter Fawkes (d 1825). He spent several weeks each summer at Farnley for about 13 years and gave to the owners over 200 pictures. About 29 now remain at the house. See C Kennedy, Harewood, London, 1982, p 17. The house also contains an important collection of relics of the English Civil War, including Cromwell's sword and hat, and Fairfax's sword. See H Speight, Upper Wharfedale, London, 1900, p 104.

Listing NGR: SE2151947276