Fountains Hall and its Tudor-era history

Fountains Hall, situated in the World Heritage Site of Studley Royal Park in North Yorkshire, England, is a Grade I listed building. Originally constructed by Stephen Proctor between 1598 and 1611, this historic manor serves as an example of late Elizabethan prodigy houses, a style influenced by Robert Smythson in the Renaissance idiom. The structure is built of grey limestone with a stone slate roof, in a style influenced by Robert Smythson’s work.

Fountains Hall has a three-bay central block, flanked by projecting gabled wings and towers at each end, all echoing Smythson’s architectural style. In July 1604, Prince Charles visited the estate, though Proctor noted the visit was disrupted by a neighbour, Sir John Yorke, who was feuding with him.

During the Second World War, the hall was used to house evacuees and served as a sanatorium for Queen Ethelburga's School. The stable block and courtyard were used for dormitories while one corner became the school chapel, where the Archdeacon of Ripon regularly said Sunday Evensong. The hall also houses a balcony, although the staircase is considered unsafe for the public.

The Vyners lost a son and a daughter in the Second World War. Charles was a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve pilot missing in action near Rangoon, while Elizabeth died of lethargic encephalitis while on service in Felixstowe, Suffolk. Lady Doris Vyner, sister to Frederick Gordon-Lennox, 9th Duke of Richmond, often stayed at the hall and hosted the Duke and Duchess of York.

A stone and stained-glass memorial remembering the children was unveiled in 1953 by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. It was designed by John Seely, 2nd Baron Mottistone and Paul Edward Paget and made by sculptor Cecil Thomas and stained-glass artist Hugh Easton. Today, the National Trust manages the hall, and visitors to Fountains Abbey can view the oak-panelled stone hall and an adjoining exhibition room.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons