Stuart GouldenThis Saturday 8 September, the National Trust is opening its doors for free across the country as part of Heritage Open Day.
Across England, Northern Ireland and Wales a total of 300 National Trust properties will be open giving visitors the opportunity to see conservation in action, learn about traditional skills, take behind-the-scenes tours or view rooms not usually open to the public.
In North Yorkshire six National Trust places are free to visit on Heritage Open Day, these are:
Beningbrough Hall & Gardens, nr York – Come and discover a house full of faces! Over 100 portraits are on display in the house on loan from the National Portrait Gallery. Come and make your own portrait in our ‘Making Faces’ gallery, see how an artist gained their inspiration in the eighteenth century.
Staff in the house will also be opening cupboards and drawers, show items not normally on display. Volunteers in costume will be giving tours to help discover more about live in the eighteenth century and there will also be the chance to take a little piece of Beningbrough home at the gardeners’ plant fair. The gardening team have propagated a number of plants from across the estate and they will be available to buy in the end of year plant sale.
Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal, Ripon – the World Heritage Site just outside Ripon will be opening areas of the estate, not normally open to visitors. Garden buildings including the Banqueting House, Octagon Tower and Temple of Piety will all be specially opened and there will be the opportunity to join a guided tour to explore the history of this fascinating place from the 12th to the 20th century.
Goddards, York – Since opening in July, Goddards has been telling the story of Noel Terry, his family and life at the famous Terry’s of York chocolate factory.
The house is surrounded by four acres of gardens and is a hidden gem just on the edge of York, telling the story of one of York’s most famous sons.
Treasurer’s House, York – hidden just behind the Minster, Treasurer’s house was the home of Yorkshireman Frank Green.
Though the inside is perhaps not quite what you’d expect of an Edwardian gentleman. Never designed to be a cosy home, it was instead used as a canvas for Frank’s creative ambitions. Find out more about Frank’s plans, a Royal visit and Treasurer’s House’s famous ghostly inhabitants with a visit to one of York’s tucked away treasures..
Nunnington Hall, nr Helmsley – Built in the 16th century, Nunnington tells the story of the Fife family, maintaining a feeling of a lived in home. The hall is surrounded by gardens, with resident peacocks and is a tranquil place to explore and relax.
Rievaulx Terrace, Helmsley – Take the opportunity on Heritage Open Day to enjoy the stunning vistas over the Ryedale Valley and Rievaulx Abbey from Rievaulx Terrace before enjoying the two classical Georgian temples set on an elevated grass terrace.
