Grimston Park

Grimston Park is a small country house, now divided into several dwellings. It probably has an early 18th-century core but was substantially rebuilt around 1840 by Decimus Burton for the second Lord Howden and again around 1850 for Lord Londesborough, with further alterations made in the late 20th century. A date stone reading 'RESTAURI MDCCCXL' appears on the balustrade.

The house is constructed in Tadcaster limestone ashlar with Welsh slate and cast-tile roof. The main block comprises 2 storeys across 7 bays with a projecting portico. To the right stands a 3-storey single-bay tower and a single-storey 5-bay loggia (formerly a conservatory). On each side of the main range is an entrance lodge with 4-bay curved single-storey walls adjoining; that to the left screens service buildings. A 2-lower-storey 6-bay range adjoins the main range to the left, with the centre 2 bays breaking forward. A clock tower stands further to the left.

The main range features central entrance ramps with curved walls ending in cast-iron lamp standards. An Ionic tetrastyle portico with frieze and cornice frames double part-glazed doors within an architrave, surmounted by a medallion of a draped female figure. On either side are tall narrow 4-pane sashes with aprons within architraves. Ground-floor windows elsewhere are 8-pane sashes with aprons within architraves under cornices with console brackets. The first floor has a central Venetian window with a 12-pane sash to the centre and 4-pane sashes to the sides within an architrave, cornice and central pediment on acanthus consoles. Otherwise 12-pane sashes sit within architraves with cornices. A dentilled cornice runs across, with a low balustraded parapet above surmounted by a central carved coat of arms (now eroded) and urns.

The tower displays 12-pane sashes to the first two stages within architraves and with moulded sills on brackets; that to the second stage has a pediment on consoles. A dentil cornice separates this from the third stage, which has 3 rounded-headed windows in an architrave on each face. A modillion cornice supports a peaked roof topped by an ornamental finial.

The loggia features pilasters with frieze and cornice. The lodges have 6-panel doors within architraves with cornice and pediment on acanthus consoles, with full-height pilasters at the angles supporting frieze, cornice and blocking course with urns. Adjoining walls have a rusticated plinth and further moulded plinth supporting pilasters articulating each bay and surmounted by urns. The walls to the right are plain; those to the left contain 4-pane sashes. A cornice and low parapet complete the design. The range to the left has mostly 12-pane sashes under flat arches or within pilastered architraves, with frieze, dentil cornice and balustrade. The clock tower displays clock faces inserted into round-arched openings, with frieze, modillion cornice, peaked roof surmounted by a weather vane, and ridge, end and roof stacks.

The garden front features a hexastyle Ionic portico in antis and cornice, with a first-floor balcony supported by slender columns under a hood.

The interior retains good 19th-century decoration alongside elements from the original 18th-century house, including a dog-leg staircase with rod-on-vase balusters. The entrance hall contains 4 Doric columns. A service staircase has column-on-vase balusters. Notable rooms include a panelled library, several chambers with decorative panelling, ornately painted ceilings, good fireplaces, remains of blue Chinese wallpaper, good cornices, 6-panel doors and panelled shutters.