Duncombe Park

The history of Duncombe Park began in 1694 when Charles Duncombe, one of England's wealthiest commoners, acquired the 40,000-acre Helmsley estate. After his death in 1711, the property passed to his sister Ursula and from her to her son Thomas Brown, who adopted the name Duncombe. He commissioned the construction of the current house, completed in 1713 to designs by architect William Wakefield. In 1843, it underwent a remodelling by Sir Charles Barry. A fire gutted the main block in 1879, leaving it a ruin until 1895 when William Young oversaw its rebuilding. The reconstruction was based on the original design, with internal adjustments made to meet contemporary needs. Between 1914 and 1980, the house was used as a girls' school. Since 1985, it has been restored as a family home by the 6th Baron Feversham.