Beningbrough Hall in North Yorkshire is a property owned by the National Trust and both the Hall itself and the gardens are well worth a visit.

Unlike many properties however this one is unusual in that not much is known about the building of it. Whilst for most properties of historic interest there are records and plans and such like there is little known about Beninbrough at all.

What is known is that it was built for John Bourchier and was substantially complete by 1716.  William Thornton of York supervised the construction but little else is known about it, including who designed it.

Beningbrough is not a property which has been retained by the same family for centuries. Instead it is one that passed through various hands over the years before being donated to the National Trust in 1958.

The tour of the house begins in the Hall, a high and bright room decorated with various paintings and with the help of the handlist of portraits and pictures the visitor can easily place them.

The tour continues through the ground and first floors where you can see displayed a wealth of pictures from the National Portrait Gallery.  It is certainly the pictures which make Beninbrough a place to remember and they are expertly displayed throughout and easily referenced.

Through State rooms richly displayed the visitors can also look down into the Entrance Hall from the first floor of the property, also affording the visitor a better view of some of the higher placed pictures.

Once you have seen all of these rooms you can also descend to the Attic Floor which contains numerous rooms with various displays of pictures from the National Portrait Gallery.  There are also displays of pictures of properties in different architectural styles and other displays.  There really is something for everyone on display on this floor, whatever your taste in art.

Hidden away from the main house is the Laundry which is also open to the public for those who are interested in what people did before the days of the washing machine and spin-dryer.

And of course there are also the formal gardens to explore, some of which are pictured above.

For book lovers there was also a shop selling used books although I don't know if that is a permanent addition or whether I was just lucky enough to be there at the time it was open.