Denton Hall, Wharfedale

The written history of Denton goes back to at least 1253, when the then-owner, one Athelstan (not to be confused with the king of that name), made the estate over to the See of York, which already owned manorial rights in nearby Otley. At the time of Thomas Fairfax, 1st Lord Fairfax of Cameron, Denton Hall had repute as housing one of the best libraries in Yorkshire (some of which later made up a part of the Thoresby Museum; others, including the Dodsworth manuscripts made their way to the Bodleian Library at Oxford). Denton was the birthplace and seat of Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron, famous as a general and commander-in-chief during the English Civil War. It is said that the…

The current hall dates to the 1770s, with a cited completion date of 1778. It was designed and the construction overseen by John Carr, for Sir James Ibbetson, 2nd Bart. Twice before the hall had been burnt down through the (alleged) carelessness of servants, in 1734 and once rebuilt, again in 1743. This circumstance induced the builder of the present mansion to compose a Latin verse, which he had affixed in front of the building. It may be rendered as follows: The other major supplier was the firm of Gillow of Lancaster; a small sum was spent with Ince and Mayhew.