To celebrate National Heritage Week  we had a delightful afternoon at Heyroyd House, thanks to Sarah and David inviting us to see their lovely home and intriguing surroundings.  They couldn’t have been more generous as we toured the renovations that have painstakingly been carried out over twenty years.

This very interesting late hall yeomans house with Georgina and Victorian additions was on the point of collapse when they took it over and slowly the Heyroyd estate is being pieced back together. It was a revelation to see many of the interesting features including the dormitories in the attic for the servants and the very spartan washing facilities – a tiny bowl with a bucket underneath hidden in a cupboard. Missing panelling has been replaced amongst a myriad of other repairs.  We also saw some C18th graffiti etched onto an original glass pane.

A stroll around the garden revealed a lay out that was admired by a gardening specialist. The garden was also unusual in having a single straight path to a viewpoint apparently rare.  Even more unusual was another discovery, a  Georgian plunge pool  with a changing room, which would have been useful in very hot summers. Apparently guests would come and frolic about the garden and pool.  We ended looking at the outer buildings which included a restored coach house with an evocative tack room that included a metal spiral staircase from an omnibus.

It was great to see the alpacas too and throughout we were supervised by Rupert the cat, we were pleased too, to make aquaintance with the Alpacas. Altogether an enjoyable afternoon including the cake which was scrumptious!