Make Beningbrough Hall your next day out!
Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday all winter (and every day in Feb half term). Along with the history on the ground floor, and gorgeous architecture of the hall, the exhibition in the gallery is on until 12th of April.
Step into a world where art and nature intertwine in a celebration of Beningbrough’s Wilderness Garden, past and present in Whispers of the Wilderness: Exploring Wilderness Gardens.
In the Great Hall, woven willow sculptures spill over the sides of plinths suggesting nature untamed and wild. The shapes create movement like grasses and stems swaying in the wind, whispering to us. In the Saloon Gallery, a huge willow sculpture forms an airy, knotted thicket which invites you to step within its curves and tangles – an immersive reflection on nature’s resilience and our connection to the land.
For those inspired to get involved, artist Tanya Raabe-Webber has designed a new drawing studio. You’re invited to pick up a pencil and join in with your contributions and sketches. Laura Ellen Bacon’s artistic process of responding to nature starts through sketching. What will you start?
Around the galleries…
- Breathe in the scent of fragrant willow as you wander
- Head to the designated touch spaces to get a feel for the willow and the basic knots and weaves that form the foundation of the sculptures
- See Laura’s sketches as she initially develops her ideas from place to page to design
- Relax in the audio chair to hear extracts from Mansfield Park and Pride and Prejudice
- Read new poetry inspired by the exhibition, from University of York students
- Lose yourself in a new nature inspired soundscape by artist Gaia Blandina
Take a walk around the Gardens. An 8-acre formal garden with spring bulbs, herbaceous borders, historic trees, and walled garden full of fruit blossom providing year round colour. Undergoing a renaissance by award winning garden designer Andy Sturgeon, look out for the Pergola and Mediterranean Garden and see what’s next in the Wilderness.
We’re also into snowdrop season! Find the beautiful flowers all along the ha-ha walk.
Alex Cann at Beningbrough Hall
I had such a fun day out at Beningbrough Hall! After a winter of relentless rain, it was so heartwarming to see the snowdrops coming out in the lush gardens, and I was given a guided tour of the Mediterranean-inspired garden. It’s packed full of grasses, trees, and shrubs, and with climate change slowly warming up the planet, it’s quite a surprise to see what can grow in Yorkshire! Seen from the air, as I did on a recent YouTube drone video, the flood plains stop a lot of water from reaching York further down the path of the Ouse.
The house itself is absolutely breathtaking, built from local brick and standing proud amid its amazing surroundings. Leaving aside a narrow miss when I almost plonked my laptop bag down on an ancient table, I think I was quite a well behaved guest! The welcome you receive from all the team is warm and friendly, and their pride in showing off the property really shines through.
If you get chance, do check out the current exhibition, which features artist Laura Ellen Bacon’s handiwork with large-scale willow sculptures. I was told how the willow had to be given a giant bath to make it supple enough to shape, and the centrepiece looks like it’s coming out of the walls of the property. The exhibitions are refreshed regularly, so there’s something new to see a couple of times a year at least.
Beningbrough was last inhabited in the 1950s, and later inherited by the National Trust pretty much empty. It’s an amazing property, in gorgeous surroundings, and easy to get to, whether you’re in York, Harrogate, or elsewhere in North Yorkshire. The cafe is fantastic too, and I was lucky enough to try the scone of the month (rhubarb and ginger!) with an espresso. The treacle tart was excellent too. A lovely spot for lunch and a good book.
There are rumours it’s haunted, but I didn’t see anything ghostly whilst I was there. We should be extremely grateful this was rescued by the National Trust after it fell empty.
Take some time out of your busy life, and enjoy some tranquil time at Beningbrough Hall. It’s a gem of a place.
