Sledmere House: Behind the scenes as East Yorkshire's finest country house opens guided tours for 2023

Once dubbed East Yorkshire’s finest country house, Sledmere has been bringing in visitors for over 200 years. There's the library, with more than 10,000 books. Art and architecture, antiques and fine plasterwork.
Ruby Kitchen
By Ruby Kitchen
Published 20th Mar 2023, 06:00 GMT

As it opened to the public yesterday, there was a flurry of preparations behind the scenes. Everything must be just sparkling clean.

Steeped in history and filled with stories, this is the much loved home of Sir Tatton Sykes as the 8th Baronet. It's a Georgian House, but also an Edwardian House, with a dramatic history.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

First designed by Samuel Wyatt with Sir Christopher Sykes, the 2nd baronet, it has been nurtured over the years by successive generations.

Behind The Scenes at Sledmere House, Sledmere, between Driffield and Malton, in North Yorkshire. Pictured Gwynneth Clark, a steward at the house for over 16 years, on the main staircase. Picture By Yorkshire Post Photographer, James Hardisty.Behind The Scenes at Sledmere House, Sledmere, between Driffield and Malton, in North Yorkshire. Pictured Gwynneth Clark, a steward at the house for over 16 years, on the main staircase. Picture By Yorkshire Post Photographer, James Hardisty.
Behind The Scenes at Sledmere House, Sledmere, between Driffield and Malton, in North Yorkshire. Pictured Gwynneth Clark, a steward at the house for over 16 years, on the main staircase. Picture By Yorkshire Post Photographer, James Hardisty.

But the version built and redecorated in the 1790s was to be almost completely destroyed by fire in 1911.

Through careful restoration many people still think of Sledmere House as an 18th century home. Most of the contents were rescued and they can still be seen today.

Gwynneth Clark has been a steward for more than 15 years. In the library, at 120ft long and with a vaulted semi-circular ceiling, she shares some of its history.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"There are 10,000 books here, collected over the centuries by the Sykes family. There are bibles, plays, novels, dictionaries.

Behind The Scenes at Sledmere House, Sledmere, between Driffield and Malton, in North Yorkshire. Pictured Jessica Hyland, Curator and Exhibitions/Tour Co-ordinator, dusting down the table and chairs in the Dining Room. Picture By Yorkshire Post Photographer, James Hardisty.Behind The Scenes at Sledmere House, Sledmere, between Driffield and Malton, in North Yorkshire. Pictured Jessica Hyland, Curator and Exhibitions/Tour Co-ordinator, dusting down the table and chairs in the Dining Room. Picture By Yorkshire Post Photographer, James Hardisty.
Behind The Scenes at Sledmere House, Sledmere, between Driffield and Malton, in North Yorkshire. Pictured Jessica Hyland, Curator and Exhibitions/Tour Co-ordinator, dusting down the table and chairs in the Dining Room. Picture By Yorkshire Post Photographer, James Hardisty.

"We had a serious fire, in 1911. The books were saved, they were thrown out of the window and into blankets.

"The floor was badly damaged. It was replaced after 1913, by oak and mahogany, in the same pattern as the ceiling with laurel wreaths. Everything matches here."

Today there is the splendour of Joseph Rose’s plasterwork and the fine examples of furniture by Chippendale, Hepplewhite and Sheraton. While the home closed to the public in October the gardens, cafe, farm park and adventure playground has remained open. Now Sledmere House has reopened once more, for a busy season with curated and pre-booked guided tours, exploring the family history and anecdotes over some hundreds of years.

Related topics:East Yorkshire