The restoration of the hall, which this year celebrates its 300th anniversary, has been funded by a grant of just under £950,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), topped up by around £1.6m from East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

Using a series of images from 1910, the hall’s curator Janice Smith and her team have been able to reproduce a stunning range of rooms across the whole house, using furniture from the period, loaned by the national collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the East Riding collection.

Janice said: “The refurbished hall offers visitors a chance to step back in time and experience the house as it was around 1900. There are many more rooms open now than before the hall closed, including an Edwardian nursery with period toys and games, and a restored working kitchen with a coal-fired range.”

Councillor Stephen Parnaby OBE, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, adds: “The restoration of Sewerby Hall shows the value of capital investment both by ourselves and the HLF, which will bring more visitors to the area, whilst at the same time reducing the running costs of the Hall. This in turn benefits local residents, by keeping costs down, and at the same time enhances the East Riding’s heritage and culture offering. It’s a perfect combination for residents and visitors alike.

“This is a very exciting weekend for tourism in the East Riding, and of course for the people of Bridlington and the surrounding area, who have been waiting patiently to see the hall reopened. I would like to thank everybody involved in this magnificent refurbishment, – the Heritage Lottery Fund, our contractors William Birch and Sons , our talented team of curators at the hall and the public for their patience and understanding during the restoration and the closure period.

“I hope that many people – whether local or visitors to the area – will come to visit this refurbished gem on the beautiful East Riding coast.”

Fiona Spiers, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “We are delighted to see the completion of this project, which represents a real boost for the local community and tourists alike – enabling people to experience what life at an English county house was like at the turn of the century. Sewerby Hall is a fine example of a Queen Anne / early Georgian country house and regionally and nationally significant. Now this wonderful heritage can be enjoyed by current and future generations.”

Sewerby Hall was built between 1714 and 1720 for the Greame family, who lived at the hall until it was sold in 1934. A visit to the refurbished venue will now include not only the chance to see many more rooms, but also the opportunity to visit the Amy Johnson Collection (now relocated to the north room in the East wing), which was created after the legendary aviator’s father presented a collection of souvenirs and mementoes in 1958.

The hall will also feature new interactive experiences for visitors, including ‘My Sewerby’, a brand new memory wall which will be looking for contributions from visitors to the hall, and A Servant’s Life.
The hall will also be welcoming school parties in the new term, with a new emphasis on a range of activities that will fit in with the national curriculum.

Visitors can also enjoy the recently reopened – and greatly improved – Clock Tower Cafe, the superb gardens including the walled garden and woodland walks, the zoo, and the pitch and putt course, as well as enjoying wonderful sea views.

Full details of Sewerby Hall and Gardens, including opening hours, what’s on details, and admission prices, can be found at the Sewerby Hall website.

Further information

For more information contact Steve Eccles, Press Officer at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, at Stephen.eccles@eastriding.gov.uk.