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A Visit to Nostell Priory

Shannon Waugh
22nd August 2025
At Airedale Tours, we love visiting local places of interest, whether it be an independent museum, art gallery, manor house or gardens...
We have such a strong connection to Yorkshire (hence why we are named Airedale – a valley in North Yorkshire), and we take much pride in being based here. When we can, we love getting on the road to visit the wonderful hotels, sites and excursions which we include in our itineraries.

In June, Shannon had the pleasure to visit Wentworth Castle Gardens, a true treasure located in South Yorkshire (you can read more about her visit HERE). She thoroughly enjoyed her visit, and because of this, last weekend she one of the grandest houses in the North of England - Nostell Priory. Read on to hear more about her visit…

View to Nostell Priory

“Parking at Nostell was incredibly straight forward. There were many parking attendants who assisted me in finding the right parking space. For the coach drop off point, this was located near to the car park & was easy to find. The walk to Nostell Priory is approximately 600 metres on a paved, slightly descending path & there is a buggy service available for those who require this service. On this walk, you have incredible views over the well-kept fields, with the stunning Palladian style house at the end. Here, you truly get a sense of the scale of this property & how impressive this would have been for visitors and attendees at the height of its powers.
"The main entrance hall in Nostell is incredibly grand, with Palladium pillars framing your entrance..."
On arrival to the house, I was greeted by friendly National Trust volunteers who offered a small insight into the history of Nostell, alongside what to expect on my self-guided tour. The main entrance hall in Nostell is incredibly grand, with Palladium pillars framing your entrance. This was when I was informed that the houses were inspired by ancient-Mediterranean architecture, with a Palladian style twist. This style is prevalent throughout the House.

The house tour begins...

In the first room you will visit, you can find the globally renowned Dolls’ House, made in the 18th century. Following on from this room, you can find a small exhibition dedicated to clockmaker John Harrison, with one piece dating back to 1717 (which is just one of the four surviving early examples of his work). John was born at Nostell in 1700 – his father was thought to work there as a carpenter under the Winn Family.
Throughout the ground floor, you can explore the butler’s pantry, which houses a well preserved safe where precious silverware was stored, the houses mailroom and an expansive dining hall. You can also find many bells which are connected to each room, making it easy for the people of the house to contact their butler.

On the upper floors, you stroll through the sleeping quarters, guest bedrooms, bathrooms, main dining hall and the entertaining room, also known as the great hall. You also visit the gentlemen’s library and a quiet dressing room, where the lady of the house dedicated most of her time. The furnishings are in incredible condition, and many rooms still have the same wallpaper and paintings as they would have in the 18th century.

Much of the interiors were inspired by mediterranean architecture and styles, however one room was decorated elaborately with oriental colours and designs. This was presumably because this style was popular at the time of decorating.

"Many rooms still have the same wallpaper and paintings as they would have in the 18th century..."

The exquisite dining hall

Brief history of Nostell

When the house was at the height of its powers, Rowland Winn was the estate owner. He was born in London and lived here for many years, working for a famous textile merchant. Following on from his marriage to Sabine d’Hervart, a lady from Switzerland, he decided to relocate to Nostell Priory to showcase his wealth and status.

Sabine unfortunately knew little English and wasn’t accustomed to English manners and customs. Winn’s family deemed her as a poor hostess, and because of this, Winn was uncomfortable hosting parties and events at Nostell. Many of Nostell’s entertaining spaces were not completed until Winn had passed, because of this, they never used their entertaining spaces to host parties and events. Unfortunately, after Sabine moved from Switzerland, she never saw her family and friends again. This story alone demonstrates how lonely they must have felt in such a grand home.

Once you have finished your visit in Nostell Priory, you can amble through the beautiful woodland and perhaps visit the Menagerie. On site, you will also find a delightful café, serving cakes, small meals and a fantastic range of hot drinks. This is in the house’s old stable courtyard.

Final Thoughts...

Overall, I was at Nostell for 3 hours and I could have stayed far longer. I could also tell you more about the history of the estate, however I urge you to visit to find out more! I hope I have inspired you to visit one of our local & most renowned sites here in Yorkshire.

If you would like to learn more about Shannon's trip to Nostell, please get in touch!

Email: shannon@airedaletours.co.uk | Phone: 01924 276135

NOSTELL FOR 2026

For Private Groups, we have just released our Houses and Gardens of Yorkshire tour, which includes a day visit to Nostell Priory.

If you would like to organise a group visit to include Nostell, get in touch and one of our friendly team can assist you!

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