Fairfax House, York: History of Yorkshire Georgian townhouse where Gentleman Jack was filmed
Fairfax House in York was built during the Georgian period and was used to film the first series of Gentleman Jack - here is its history.
The Georgian townhouse Fairfax House is located at No. 27, Castlegate in York city centre and is a Grade I listed building open to the public.
It was originally a private residence for Charles Gregory Fairfax, 9th Viscount Fairfax of Elmley.
It was a filming location for several period dramas, more famously BBC’s Gentleman Jack as the interior of Vere Cameron’s home during the first series and ITV’s Victoria as scenes of ‘Buckingham Palace’, a gentleman’s club and Irish castle scenes in series three.
History of Fairfax House in York
Viscount Fairfax employed Yorkshire architect, John Carr, to remodel the house at 27 Castlegate in 1761 and the work was completed in 1765.
The interior has mid-18th century plasterwork by James Henderson and Giuseppe (Joseph) Cortese and carved woodwork.
The wrought iron balustrades on the staircases, a decorative and protective railing system which is typically used on balconies, staircases, or landings, were done by Maurice Tobin.
These iron gates and railings fronting Castlegate were removed when the street was widened, but they were recorded by York architect and artist Ridsdale Tait.
Viscount Fairfax died in 1772 and his title was removed. Later occupants included Sir Walter Vavasour, 6th Baronet of Haslewood, William Danby, Peregrine Wentworth, Sir John Lister Kaye, 1st Baronet Lister-Kaye of Grange and Mrs Ann Mary Pemberton.
Fairfax House was soon renamed St George’s Hall and was left derelict and fell into disrepair.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, part of the property was used as a dance hall, then in 1921, St George’s Cinema, parallel to Fairfax House, was opened and the building was expanded.
In 1970, it closed before it was acquired by the City Council and sold to York Civic Trust. Between 1982 and 1984, the building was renovated under the architect Francis Johnson who turned the defunct cinema’s entrance into the main entrance to Fairfax House.
The York Conservation Trust subsequently bought the house, leasing it back to the Civic Trust.
When the founder of Terry’s chocolate business, Noel Terry, died in 1980, his collection of Georgian furniture and clocks was donated to York Civic Trust who housed it in the period rooms of Fairfax House.
The collection has since been expanded by acquisition and donation, including in summer 2017 a re-discovered wooden panel carved by Grinling Gibbons while learning his trade in York.
The house has a large collection of Georgian glass and majority of the furniture is English made and in 2023, a portrait of Elizabeth Clifford, wife of the last Viscount Fairfax, was acquired for the collection.