Nostell Priory

Nostell Priory takes its name from the medieval Augustinian priory that stood on this site near Wakefield, replaced from 1733 by a Palladian house designed by James Paine for the Winn family and extended by Robert Adam, whose planned second wing was never built. Its great claim is furniture: Thomas Chippendale, born a few miles away in Otley, fitted out the house in the 1760s and 1770s, and his work still stands in the rooms it was made for. Reviewers are also surprised by the paintings, including a Brueghel the Younger and a Hogarth, the huge library and the copy of Holbein's lost portrait of the More family, and they praise the room volunteers. Outside, Stephen Switzer's parkland has a lake, waymarked walks, cycle trails, mobility scooter routes and an adventure playground, and the courtyard cafe is known for scones and ice cream. Tips from visitors: the car park is about ten minutes' walk from the house, with a shuttle bus if needed, and parking is charged for non-members.