Hovingham Hall & Estate

Hovingham Hall is in the centre of the village and is approached across Hall Green with its tall lime trees. The attractive Palladian house was designed and built by Thomas Worsley between 1750 and 1770. The house is unique in being entered through an enormous Riding School which is approached through a large arch from the village street. There are wonderful vaulted ceilings on the ground floor and the principal rooms have different architectural styles and are gracefully decorated and furnished.

The cricket ground in front of the house is reputed to be the oldest continuously played on private cricket ground in England. It is the home of the Worsley family and was the childhood home of the Duchess of Kent.

The Hovingham Estate has been in the ownership of the Worsley family for over 450 years. The Estate surrounds the village of Hovingham and includes farming, forestry and holiday cottage businesses, a shoot, a hotel, let farms and village properties, both commercial and residential.

Farming and forestry have always been important sources of income for the Estate, and this remains unchanged today with over two thirds of the Estate given over to agriculture.

It is a working Estate proud to employ local people. We also take our responsibility in maintaining part of England's Heritage very seriously.
The overall policy is to manage the Estate on a sound, yet sensitive commercial basis to support its running costs and to fund ongoing Estate improvements. The family sees this as being conservation in the widest sense - as part of the National Heritage, of archaeology, of wildlife and of a community.

Website: www.hovingham.co.uk