Swinton Estate

The construction at Swinton Park was commenced in 1695 by Sir Abstrupus Danby (1655–1727). His successors built the stable block and gatehouse and, during the 1760s, planted the parkland and created the chain of five lakes. William Danby (1752–1833) almost entirely rebuilt the house, at first by John Carr, architect of York, in 1764–1767. Danby altered and extended the house, giving it the Gothic aspect it retains, in two building campaigns, to designs of the Yorkshire mason-architect John Foss of Richmond (1745–1827), who became a close personal friend. In the first, of 1791–1796, the north range was added. A design for the Drawing Room, at least, was contributed by James Wyatt. In a…

The wider estate comprises farmland, woodland and moorland, as well as properties in the town of Masham and nearby villages. The farmland is farmed by more than 50 tenants, with sheep farming predominant. There are some 2,000 acre of mixed coniferous and broad-leaved woodland. The estate has more than 8,000 acre of heather moors, which are managed for grouse shooting, with pheasant shooting on the lower ground. Most of the moorland falls within the East Nidderdale Moors Site of Special Scientific Interest, and also within the North Pennine Moors Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Area (SPA). The moors are open access land following the Countryside and Rights of Way…