Located just off the M1 motorway approximately 20 miles from Leeds city centre, Bramham Park is a magnificent estate covering more than 900 acres and including the very fine House at Bramham, a luxurious summer residence in the style of a 16th century Florentine villa.
The House was carefully designed to fit in with the beautifully landscaped surroundings, and was completely restored in the late1820′s and 30′s following a disastrous fire in the summer of 1828.
Bramham Park was built in 1698 and its renowned gardens laid out over a period of thirty years by Robert Benson, the first Lord Bingley. Born in 1675 at Wrenthorpe, near Wakefield, Benson’s father passed away less than a year after his birth leaving to Benson an inheritance of both land and money. Benson completed his education in 1697 with a Grand Tour of Europe. It was during these travels that Benson developed a deep appreciation for Italian architecture and French garden design, and he returned home to the UK and began planning and building the gardens and house the following year.
For more than 300 years, through two world wars, crippling gambling debts, and illegitimate heirs, Bramham Park has remained in the same family. It is currently the home of Nicholas Lane Fox and his wife, the honorable Rachel Baring, and their five children and seven dogs who continue to maintain the estate and preserve its unique heritage.
Over the many years additional structures have been erected on the estate, including stables with a campanile clock tower, an obelisk erected in memory of George Lane Fox and three unique temples (the Gothic, Ionic and Museum temples).
The architectural style of the House has been described as “neither baroque nor Palladian” but truly classical.
Bramham Park Events
Bramham Park is well known for being a location for many high profile events. The most well known of these being the huge Leeds festival, where big name bands play over a long weekend and festival revellers enjoy camping facilities and music, which culminate into an amazing atmosphere.
Bramham Park has also been hosting the Bramham International Horse Trials since 1974 and is very proud to hold this prestigious event on its grounds. The horse trials are usually held in June of each year and draw a huge crowd.
Visiting Bramham Park
While both the House and the park are open all year round, Bramham is somewhat unique among tourist attractions in that visiting is by appointment only. Those wishing to visit should ring the estate office at 01937 846000 in order to book an appointment for a specific appointment time.
Opening Times and Prices:
Open Monday to Friday by appointment only (including Bank Holidays)
Closed on weekends
Admission to the Park only is £4 per person while tours of the House cost an additional £10 per person.
Visitors are advised to make arrangements as far in advance as possible, as bookings are limited and openings may sell out well in advance of peak visiting times.
While the House and the grounds immediately surrounding it are accessible to visitors in wheelchairs, via ramps and a lift inside the House, much of the estate is rolling countryside and visiting many of the gardens and out buildings requires walking up and down steep slopes. Handicapped visitors may ring the estate office for more details.
Address:
Bramham Park
Wetherby
LS23 6ND
Tel: 01937 846000
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