Sewerby Hall and Gardens: The stunning Georgian estate near Yorkshire seaside town of Bridlington which was used as a hospital during Second World War
The Georgian estate Sewerby Hall and Gardens near Bridlington was used as a hospital during the Second World War - here is the history of the Yorkshire coast attraction.
Sewerby Hall is a Grade I listed Georgian country house and is nestled in the charming East Yorkshire village of Sewerby.
An exhibition will take place at Sewerby Hall from May to July 2025 celebrating the 60th international Wildlife Photographer of the Year developed and produced by the Natural History Museum.
It will capture the fascinating animal habits and mannerisms, extraordinary species and the diversity of the natural world.
The hall and park was opened to the public for the first time with a ceremony in June 1936 by aviator Amy Johnson and during the Second World War, the RAF used the house as a hospital and a recovery home for the RAF bases in the area.
The building dates back to the early 1700s and in more recent years it has been used to film Dad’s Army (2016) starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Bill Nighy and an episode of the BBC TV show Bargain Hunt.
Today, Sewerby Hall is a major attraction for tourists in the East Riding of Yorkshire, drawing in more than 150,000 visitors a year.
History Sewerby Hall and Gardens
The first member of the Greame family to live at the old manor house was John Greame, son of Robert Greame.
He became wealthy following the death of his father in 1708 and bought the estate from Elizabeth Carleill, the last of the previous family to own the property.
John built the present Sewerby Hall between 1714 and 1720, which replaced the manor house that existed on the site for many years. John died in 1746 at the age of 83 and his son John Greame II died without any heirs in 1798 at the age of 98, leaving his widow Alicia Maria who stayed at the hall until her death in 1812.
It was then passed on to a nephew, a third John Greame, who had married an heiress, Sarah Yarburgh of Heslington Hall, York.
John Greame III remarried after Sarah died young and moved with his second wife to live in Sewerby Hall with his Aunt Almary.
He was responsible for a number of adaptations to the building, including the addition of a portico in 1808. When he died in 1841, the estate was passed on to his eldest son Yarburgh Greame who made many improvements to the house and gardens, including a large conservatory called the Orangery in the mid-19th century, a clock tower in 1847 and a gatehouse in 1848.
A church was also built and a school, designed by Sir Gilbert Scott, on the edge of the estate.
The hall was a private residence until June 1, 1936 when it was opened by Amy Johnson and in May 2012, plans were put in place for a £2.6 million restoration project progressed by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and it took 30 months.
The hall houses the Museum of East Yorkshire, including a room dedicated to Amy Johnson, and the Coastguard Museum.
The hall grounds are home to a small zoo and aviary as well as an 18-hole putting green and various gardens.