Thirsk Hall

Thirsk Hall is a Grade II* listed manor house in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, dating from 1720. The house has been held by the Bell family for c. 300 years, and since 2021 also hosts a sculpture park.

History
In 1722/23 the member of parliament Ralph Bell bought the manor of Thirsk for the sum of £6,300 from the 10th Earl of Derby. At the time the hall was constructed it had two storeys and five bays. Bell lived in the then new-built home, Thirsk Hall, located on Kirkgate next to St Marys Church. Following his death in 1733 Bell left his estate to his nephew Ralph Consett, who then changed his surname to Bell. Some years later a descendent, also named Ralph Bell, married Ann Conyers. Conyers, who desired a dining room, financed an extension to the hall in 1770. The Palladian architect John Carr was employed to add a third floor and two wings. The house was furnished by Gillows, and the artist Thomas Gainsborough painted portraits of both Bell and Conyers. The ceiling of the ground floor room in the right wing, designed by Carr, has been described as "very fine". Thirsk Hall has 20 acres of grounds comprising gardens, parkland, and woodland.

As of 2022 the hall continues to be owned by the Bell family. Daisy Bell, eldest daughter of John Bell, inherited the property after being successful in a card game at aged 11, following her fathers eschewing of primogeniture.

Sculpture Park
In the summer of 2021 the Thirsk Hall Sculpture Park, set in the grounds, was opened to the public. It has showcased the work of both up and coming and established artists, including Michael Lyons and Zak Ové. The park had 3,000 visitors in its first year. In 2023 the park featured the work of stone sculptor Emily Young. An outbuilding of the hall, named Gallery One, features an indoor art gallery.