A warm welcome at Yorkshire's coldest house

But now a North Yorkshire stately home can no longer claim to be the coldest historic house in the region.

Norton Conyers, near Ripon, which is opening today after a nine-year break, has warmed up - somewhat.

Sir James Graham and his wife Lady Graham have taken advantage of major structural repairs, which saved the historic gem for the nation, to mend the central heating pipes and extend the system to previously unheated rooms.

But with the exception of the kitchen, where the Aga keeps things relatively toasty, there is still a nip in the air, and visitors are advised to wrap up warm.

Lady Graham who jokes that she threatened to divorce her husband several times in their marriage because of the lack of heating, said: “We had quite a lot of trouble with the boiler, and quite a few periods when there hasn’t been any heating. We haven’t minded too much because of the enormous bills - but it hadn’t been good for the house and decoration.

“What is so wonderful is that it isn’t that biting cold. We can actually put it on and have a background heat - and you don’t have to wear a hat.”

This year, the bicentenary of the birth of Charlotte Bronte, Sir James and Lady Graham are expecting renewed interest on the back of the house’s connection with the famous author who is believed to have visited in 1839 and heard the family legend of “Mad Mary” secretly confined to an end room in the attics.

The story goes that she was the inspiration for Edward Rochester’s Creole wife in her 1847 classic Jane Eyre.

The secret staircase leading to the attics can be seen, but is sadly too dangerous for the public to use.

The couple will be personally greeting visitors over the Easter weekend, who like to romance about what it would be like if they lived there as they wander about the house.

The truth is that it’s not as glamorous as appears. The discovery of death watch beetle forced the closure of the house for eight years.

Lady Graham - once a director of an art museum and gallery - who describes herself as a “cleaner with some help”, including her helpfully tall husband, face a task not dissimilar to painting the Forth Bridge.

There is the added complication of coping with a very old house, which constantly produces its own small dramas, including unexpected guests, ranging from frogs, squirrels “with very sharp teeth” and the odd fox, pursued by the local hunt, nipping in through “whichever door is open.”

Just a few days away from reopening the couple were trying to find out the source of water dripping from outside the kitchen.

Lady Halina said: “People see all the acres in front of the house but don’t see the reality of it which is that it is such hard work and it is never ending, and there’s always something going wrong.”

In 1940 there were nine outdoor staff and nine indoor. Now there is a gardener who comes with three part-time helpers.

Sir James explained: “Landed we are - but rich we are not.”

Turning up the heat

Sir James and Lady Graham have poured 30 years of effort into restoring Norton Conyers.

In 2014 they won the annual Restoration Award, presented by the Historic Houses Association and Sotheby’s.

The late medieval manor house, with distinctive Dutch gables, has been owned by the Graham family since 1624, lending it a “notably friendly atmosphere.” Charles 1 visited, as did James 11 and today’s visitors can be assured of a warm welcome. “We have very few barriers - we don’t want the house to look like a museum, says Lady Graham. As formerly the house is open for 30 days. Highlights include an almost uninterrupted run of family portraits from around 1600 to 1968. Visit www.nortonconyers.org.uk.