Beningbrough Hall was built in 1716 for John Bourchier, a York landowner fresh from an Italian Grand Tour, and behind its red-brick front lies one of the most impressive baroque interiors in England, rich in wood carving and ironwork. The house billeted RAF aircrews from nearby Linton-on-Ouse in the Second World War and now tells its 300-year story on the ground floor, while the first-floor Reddihough Galleries host changing art exhibitions in autumn and winter. Outside, designer Andy Sturgeon is reviving the eight-acre garden with a pergola, ha-ha walk and new Mediterranean Garden beside the walled kitchen garden, and 380 acres of parkland run down to the River Ouse. Families get a wilderness play area with a den zone; dogs are welcome in most of the garden and part of the restaurant. Reviewers single out the friendly volunteers, the roomy restaurant and the April tulips. Tips from visitors: parking is free near the entrance, and pushchairs and mobility scooters stay outside the house, with lightweight buggies and wheelchairs to borrow.
