Bowcliffe Hall
Bowcliffe Hall is located at Bramham near Wetherby, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.
Built between 1805 and 1825, Bowcliffe retains the stately atmosphere of a country house, but has the amenities expected of a modern office and meeting venue. Situated just off the A1M, four miles south of Wetherby and close to both York and Leeds, Bowcliffe Hall is an ideal for base for business,an inspiring venue for meetings and a beautiful venue for weddings and special events.
Its manicured grounds create a sense of tranquillity and lend themselves to corporate entertainment, celebrations and team building activities. For business or pleasure Bowcliffe is one of the most outstanding locations in Yorkshire.
The building is constructed of ashlar limestone, under a shallow pitched slate roof to a rectangular double pile floor plan. It is mainly built in 2 storeys, although the east wing has been modified to 3 storeys.
History
Construction of Bowcliffe Hall was begun in 1805 by William Robinson, a cotton spinner from Manchester. After completing only the West Wing, Robinson sold the property for £2,000 to John Smyth, who finished the estate. Smyth died in 1840 and the house was put into trust by his daughters pending sale. The entrusted estate was purchased by George Lane-Fox, whose own house, the neighbouring Bramham Park, had been severely fire damaged in 1828.
George Lane-Fox, known as "The Gambler", was the MP for Beverley. He died in 1848 and was succeeded by his only son, also George, known as "The Squire". The latter died in 1896 and was succeeded by his second son George (his eldest son having become a clergyman) who was MP for Barkston Ash. He renovated Bramham Park and moved back there in 1907. Bowcliffe was then purchased by Walter Geoffrey Jackson, the Managing Director of mining company Henry Briggs Son and Company. In 1917, the house was bought by the aviation pioneer Robert Blackburn, the chairman of Blackburn Aircraft who lived there until 1950.[1]
Following Blackburn's death, the house was sold in May 1956 to the Hargreaves fuel company for use as offices, passing into the ownership of the Bayford petroleum group in 1988. Over recent years the Hall has undergone extensive refurbishment and now offers beautiful office suites. The final stage of the redevelopment has included creating 2 new exciting office suites from formerly redundant buildings, Rosemount and the Cricket Pavilion and the creation of the Blackburn Wing Conference and Events Centre, a stunning aerofoil shaped building that appears to be floating in the trees. Clad in copper with floor to ceiling windows giving out to views through trees to parkland, the Blackburn Wing's extraordinary design pays homage to Robert Blackburn's achievements.[2][3]
References
- ↑ Historic England. "Details from image database (342205)". Images of England. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
- ↑ "Proposed Blackburn Wing, Bowcliffe Hall, Bramham, Leeds, LS23 6LP: Design and Access Statement" Leeds City Council. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
- ↑ "Aviation Pioneer's Home to Be Restored". Calendar. ITV. 14 July 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
- "The History of Bowcliffe Hall" (PDF). Hargreaves Group. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
External links
Coordinates: 53°52′29″N 1°21′18″W / 53.8747°N 1.3551°W