Duncombe Park: The magnificent Yorkshire country house twice destroyed by fire

Apart from the deep concern over the threat to human life, there was considerable anxiety over the loss of family treasures and the destruction of the building itself.

Within the space of 15 years Duncombe Park suffered two fires.

Thomas Duncombe commissioned the building of Duncombe Park house and gardens, situated immediately south-west of Helmsley, around 1713.

This was to the designs of gentleman architect William Wakefield (died 1730) who is also attributed to additions made at Gilling Castle.

Inspiration for the Duncombe building may have come from Sir John Vanbrugh (1664-1726) who had seen much of the exterior for his first major architectural work, Castle Howard, completed by 1712.

Kerry Downes in Sir John Vanbrugh A Biography (1987) states: ‘[Vanbrugh's] influence can be seen in the work of William Wakefield, notably at Duncombe Park, Yorks’.

Thomas Duncombe was MP for Downton 1711-1713 and Ripon 1734-1741. When he died in 1746 the house passed to his son, Thomas II (?1724-1779).

Thomas II was responsible for extending the Duncombe Park grounds to include the Rievaulx Terrace c. 1758.

This took place on lands given to the Cistercians by Walter Espec to create Rievaulx Abbey and following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1538 these had been purchased from the King.

Two wings, to the north and south sides of the house, were built from designs by Charles Barry in 1844 and 1846.

Barry was best known for his role in the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster (also known as the Houses of Parliament in London) during the mid-19th century.

William Duncombe (b. 1829) was MP for East Retford 1852-1857; the North Riding of Yorkshire 1859-1867.

He entered the House of Lords following the death of his father, and a year later was created Viscount Helmsley of Helmsley in the North Riding of the County of York and Earl of Feversham, of Ryedale in the North Riding of the County of York.

In 1877, William commissioned the ceiling of the great hall to be restored under the direction of Sir Gilbert Scott. But, on Monday January 13, 1879, the Leeds Mercury reported Duncombe Park had been destroyed by fire two days earlier.

The fire was discovered about half-past-five in the morning. Awakened by the knocks of a chimney sweeper, three housemaids also quickly discovered that the green room floor and the ceiling of the grand saloon on fire.

They instantly gave the alarm and the butler and second coachman came to the spot and stood in the room in turns, throwing water on the fire as fast as twelve servant girls could bring it in buckets. They were eventually driven out by the smoke and flames.

The man who was in charge of the water pumping engine, was sent for, as well as the plumber, but all the taps were frozen and it was sometime before the snow, which had fallen heavily during the night, could be swept away from the ground to find the fire-plugs.

A small hand engine kept at the house was set to work in the hall, and the Kirkbymoorside fire engine and brigade were sent for.

Both engines were delayed, and only a poor supply of water could be pumped up from the river Rye.

The fire continuing to spread, it was decided to send for the steam fire-engine from York. This arrived by special train about 11 am, in charge of Chief Constable Haley, Superintendent Ingram, and about 20 of the York police.

They were, however, too late to be of any use, as in three or four hours after the fire was discovered the whole of the centre of the building was gutted, only the outer walls standing.

The contents of the grand saloon, including the valuable library and a series of family portraits, historical pictures, and other works of art were completely destroyed.

But, the two most valuable sculptures supposed to be the work of the famous sculptor Myron, which were placed in the hall, were saved.

The contents of the study, as well as family papers and deeds were salvaged. Three valuable pieces of tapestry were rescued from the tapestry room, but were damaged by being torn down.

The servants’ apartments and the stables formed two separate wings, one each side of the house, and they were saved by the connection being cut.

These wings were filled with articles saved. Amongst them was a painting by Rubens titled ‘An old woman and a boy with lighted candle’.

Lord and Lady Feversham and family were all in London at the time. Every assistance was rendered by the inhabitants of Helmsley and neighbourhood in saving what property they could.

Superintendent Park and Inspector Milner, of the North Riding Constabulary, with a number of men, kept a temporary watch over the ruins and the rescued property.

Hundreds of visitors from Thirsk, York, Malton, Kirkbymoorside, Pickering and other areas flocked to the smouldering ruins during the afternoon.

Reports stated the damage was estimated at £80,000 though the house was well insured.

The foundation stone for the new Duncombe Park mansion was laid by the Earl of Feversham on Tuesday February 17, 1891.

Three years later, on Thursday February 8, 1894 the Hull Daily Mail reported that the north wing of Duncombe Park House, which was formerly the servants' apartments, but which soon after the great fire of 1879 was converted into a residence for himself and family by the Earl of Feversham, was early yesterday morning destroyed by fire.

The valuables lost included Lady Feversham's jewels and some costly tapestry, oak cabinets.

The newspaper gave details of the rebuilding work: ‘Fortunately, however, the handsome new mansion now being built on the site of the old one, and which is fast approaching completion, was not reached by the flames.

‘The portion now destroyed was one of the two wings erected in 1846 by William Duncombe, second Baron Feversham, from designs by Sir John Barry’.

Duncombe Park saw service as an Army hospital before being leased to the Woodard Society in May 1925 as a preparatory school for girls with fees at £150 per annum.

The house seemed set for a permanent institutional fate until Peter Duncombe, and his second wife, Polly, summoned up immense courage in the 1980s when they decided to reclaim it to its original purpose.

The girls' school lease on Duncombe Park had expired and made its new home at Baldersby Park by an amicable arrangement.

For some months after moving back to Duncombe, the Fevershams had no choice but to live modestly as they had to start by ‘camping out’ as Lady Feversham described it, in the attics, while work went on in the principal rooms downstairs.

‘There were moments when I would wake up in the middle of the night and think “what have we let ourselves in for,” but that was before we started. Once the work was underway, we felt much happier,’ she revealed.

Peter Duncombe died in 2009 and was succeeded in the title by his eldest son Jasper but left Duncombe Park to his second son, Jake.