Georgian former colonel's residence in East Yorkshire to open to the public for the first time as guesthouse and events venue

Hayley Eslor has bought Grade II-listed Lambert House on the Sheriff Highway, which dates back to the 1830s and was the residence of Colonel William Lambert White until 1929.

The Hull businessman, town mayor and military officer was an avid collector of ruins who built a room out of church stones called the Armoury, where he kept his collection of guns, swords and other weaponry.

The garden is built on the site of the medieval church of St James and the foundations were visible until fairly recently.

Following the colonel's death, the Georgian house was purchased by BP Chemicals, who used it as offices and accommodation for guests visiting the Saltend chemical plant. It came onto the market last year.

The 'hidden gem' will now become more accessible following it conversion into a guesthouse and events venue.

“I think for anybody who has lived in the Hedon area, Lambert House has always had an appeal and been something of an unknown to many given it has always been a private building, so not so many have been inside for a look around,” said Mrs Eslor.

“People have always wondered what it is like in there, and when you do walk in you are taken aback because a lot of the architecture and historic features are stunning. It is a really spectacular property which has been maintained to the highest standard over the years.”

Standing around half mile from Hedon town centre, Lambert House boasts a grand entrance, 12 guest rooms, two large reception rooms, a dining room, a bar, a fully fitted commercial kitchen, cellar and stores.

“The first step is opening up as a guesthouse as I really feel there is a demand for that in this area in particular, and that demand will only increase more developments are completed,” she said.

“We have continued investment in and around the docks and to the east of Hull with the plans for Humber Freeport, a hydrogen plant and Yorkshire Energy Park. There is going to be huge demand for places to stay.

“We’ve also got the opportunity to target visitors to the city who come through the docks and are perhaps spending time in Hull and York. We have a lot to offer. I can see us having a really positive impact on the immediate economy as we are creating jobs directly and supporting others by attracting new spend into the community.”

Many of the original features from Colonel White's day remain in excellent condition, including the gargoyles.

“The building has so many unique features and certainly has the feel of history to it. We have simply focussed on breathing new life into it and freshening it up. It’s a Grade II listed

building so the changes have to be subtle. We are focussed on making it an inviting and comfortable place to stay and relax.”