Birdsall House: Owners of Yorkshire stately home and wedding venue apply to turn servants' wing 'untouched since the 1940s' into a nightclub

The Honourable James and Lady Cara Willoughby submitted an application for their scheme to North Yorkshire Council in April, with Lady Cara describing the transformation of the kitchen, servants’ quarters and stores as a ‘modern nightclub’.

A bar, sprung dancefloor and toilets would be installed in the basements of the North-East Wing, with an outdoor hospitality area also added. The space would be aimed at guests of weddings and private events, and would not be open to the public.

The estate near Malton has been in the Willoughby family’s ownership since the 16th century, and the Elizabethan house was remodelled in 1749, with more wings added in 1776 and 1872.

The North-East Wing’s domestic offices fell out of use after World War Two, during which the house was requisitioned by the army, and the number of staff employed in the kitchens then declined significantly. Other than the installation of heating and electrics, the rooms have remained almost untouched ever since.

A heritage statement submitted by the family’s consultants reads: “This historical and architectural character of the house and grounds is largely that of the late 19th century, as devised by Anthony Salvin. His scheme of works included the extension and remodelling of the North-East Wing.

"As seen today, the exterior of the North-East Wing dates to the late 19th century; the interior is of similar date though some fixtures and fittings are early 20th century. Most of the east face of the North-East Wing sits below ground level, with some self-set trees/shrubs and mature yews obscuring views of the block from the front.

"The proposed development includes sympathetic conservation, restoration and interpretation of the North-East Wing’s interior, keeping most of the historic fixtures and fittings, to create a unique hospitality space which complements the House’s fledgeling events business. In doing so, these private, unutilised, unheated spaces – that have been and will continue to disintegrate - will be made accessible for the first time to visitors and support the economic sustainability of the estate.”

The project involves the creation of new entrances, the lowering of the ground level to reveal the original east facade, and installation of steps and access ramp.

According to the heritage report, there were 25 servants at Birdsall in 1861, but by 1921 this had dropped to 11. There was a butler, housekeeper, cook, ladies maid, governess, nurse, footmen, valet, page, gardeners, grooms, housemaids, kitchen and laundry maids.

The North-East Wing was rebuilt with extended service quarters for the eighth Lord Middleton in the 1870s, as he had 13 children and regularly entertained large house parties. The estate suffered during the world wars, when the 11th Lord Middleton had to pay crippling death duties, and after 1945, the area was used only for storage.

The service wing contains storerooms, larders, a dairy, game chiller, main kitchen, scullery, servants’ halls, housekeeper’s office, laundry and wine cellar, with an ice house outside.

The report adds: “At present some evening events must take place within a marquee which is not only expensive, but also takes people away from the main house and all that it has to offer. The proposed work intends to remove the need for a marquee, by providing an attractive and accessible area within the existing envelope of Birdsall House. The repurposing will bring back into use a part of the house that has not been used since the 1940s; during which time only the most basic of maintenance has taken place, leading to fabric deterioration.”

The bar will be in the former laundry and later meat larder and scullery. Original features such as the early 20th-century iron cooking range and Belfast sinks will be preserved. A dancefloor will be built over the kitchen’s stone flags. The vegetable store, which has a hatch window for deliveries of produce, will be reinstated and become operational again.

The application is currently under consideration.

James, a barrister and heir to his father’s title of Lord Middleton, and Cara, a former graphic designer and daughter of the Earl of Cork, live at Birdsall House with their children Thomas, Flora and Rupert.

Cara, who went to art college and trained as a milliner, even found herself cooking a goose for actor John Cleese during a shoot at Birdsall, now a popular filming location.