Museums · Yorkshire & the Humber
Duncombe Park
In or near Sproxton.
Duncombe Park is the seat of the Duncombe family who previously held the title Earls of Feversham. The title became extinct on the death of the 3rd Earl in 1963, since when the family have continued t
David Dixon — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Best time of year
- Year-round
- Paid entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
About
Duncombe Park is the seat of the Duncombe family who previously held the title Earls of Feversham. The title became extinct on the death of the 3rd Earl in 1963, since when the family have continued to hold the title Baron Feversham. The park is situated one mile south-west of Helmsley, North Yorkshire, England and stands in 300 acres (120 ha) of parkland. The estate has a commanding location above deeply incised meanders of the River Rye within the North York Moors National Park. The house was completed in 1713 for Thomas Duncombe (born Thomas Brown) to designs by the Yorkshire gentleman-architect William Wakefield. It was remodelled in 1843 by Sir Charles Barry. In 1879 the main block was gutted by fire and remained a ruin until 1895 when rebuilding was carried out by William Young. The reconstruction was based on the original design, though there were changes made, especially in the interior layout to meet contemporary needs. It is of two storeys with a basement and attic. The house itself is not open to the public but visitors are allowed into the 30-acre (12 ha) garden from April until the end of August.
Photo gallery
Official information
Duncombe Park is a historic estate located near Helmsley in the North York Moors National Park. Visitors can explore its 450 acres of landscaped gardens and parkland, as well as the National Centre for Birds of Prey.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Castle Hill Deer Park and Windy Pits SSSI
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Duncombe Park SSSI
- National Nature Reserve: DUNCOMBE PARK
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Howardian Hills
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Duncombe Park is the seat of the Duncombe family who previously held the title Earls of Feversham. The title became extinct on the death of the 3rd Earl in 1963, since when the family have continued to hold the title Baron Feversham. The park is situated one mile south-west of Helmsley, North Yorkshire, England and stands in 300 acres (120 ha) of parkland. The estate has a commanding location above deeply incised meanders of the River Rye within the North York Moors National Park. The house was completed in 1713 for Thomas Duncombe (born Thomas Brown) to designs by the Yorkshire gentleman-architect William Wakefield. It was remodelled in 1843 by Sir Charles Barry. In 1879 the main block was gutted by fire and remained a ruin until 1895 when rebuilding was carried out by William Young. The reconstruction was based on the original design, though there were changes made, especially in the interior layout to meet contemporary needs. It is of two storeys with a basement and attic. The house itself is not open to the public but visitors are allowed into the 30-acre (12 ha) garden from April until the end of August.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
In 1694 Charles Duncombe, one of the richest commoners in England, bought the 40,000 acre Helmsley estate, occasionally staying at the castle. After his death in 1711 it passed to his sister Ursula and from her to her son Thomas Brown, who changed his name to Thomas Duncombe and commissioned the building of the present house. On his death in 1746 it passed to his son, Thomas Duncombe II, who extended the grounds to include the Rievaulx Terrace. In 1774, Anne Duncombe, daughter of Thomas Duncombe of Duncombe Park was married to Robert Shafto, of Whitworth Hall, near Spennymoor, County Durham, the famous "Bonny Bobby Shaftoe" of the folk song. In the late 1700s the estate was owned by Thomas'…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 54.2389, -1.0747
- District
- North Yorkshire
- Parish
- Helmsley
- Postcode
- YO62 5EB
- Parliamentary constituency
- Thirsk and Malton
- Phone
- 01439 770213
- Opening
- Monday 6th April 2026 - Monday 31st August 2026, 6 days a week, closed Saturdays 10.30am - 5pm, last admission 4pm
- Official site
- www.duncombepark.com
Sources
- wikipedia: Duncombe Park (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
National Centre for Birds of Prey
Natural landmarks · 0.2 km
Tuscan Temple
Historic houses · 0.5 km
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Helmsley
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Duncombe Park?
- Duncombe Park is in Yorkshire, United Kingdom (postcode YO62 5EB), in the parish of Helmsley.
- What is Duncombe Park?
- Duncombe Park is the seat of the Duncombe family who previously held the title Earls of Feversham. The title became extinct on the death of the 3rd Earl in 1963, since when the family have continued t
- How do I get to Duncombe Park?
- Drivers can use postcode YO62 5EB.
- Who owns Duncombe Park?
- Duncombe Park is owned by Feversham Estate.
- Is Duncombe Park a protected site?
- Yes — Duncombe Park is part of the Castle Hill Deer Park and Windy Pits SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Duncombe Park SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- How do I get to Duncombe Park?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode YO62 5EB. It sits within the Thirsk and Malton parliamentary constituency.