Things to see in East Riddlesden Hall’s house and Great Barn

This West Yorkshire manor once sat at the heart of a vast agricultural estate. Explore the rooms inside East Riddlesden Hall and you’ll discover a homely house filled with 17th-century features, including warm oak panelling and intricate plaster ceilings. The Great Barn tells the story of the estate's agricultural past, with a collection of farming equipment.

The house

East Riddlesden Hall hasn’t always looked like it does today. James Murgatroyd is credited with transforming it into the manor we see now.

During the 1640s, Murgatroyd remodelled the south side of the hall to create the two-storey house with its decorative exterior. As you approach the house, you’ll see one of the building's striking two-storey porches. There’s another at the back, and each has a distinctive rose window above the arched entrance.

Three school children look through the rose window in the Yellow Porch Chamber at East Riddlesden Hall — Looking through the rose window in the Yellow Porch Chamber | © National Trust Images/Trevor Ray Hart

Original 17th-century features

Inside, you can still see some of the original 17th-century details introduced by Murgatroyd, as well as evidence of how the property has been shaped over the years. Look for the 17th-century panelling, which is a theme throughout the house, and don’t miss the decorative plaster ceilings and intricate wood carvings.

Intriguing objects and furnishings

When East Riddlesden Hall was donated to the National Trust in 1934 it had virtually no contents. However, it has since been furnished with the help of gifts, bequests and loans to recreate the spirit of the 17th century. These objects and furnishings offer a glimpse into what life would have been like here during that time.

Items throughout the house nod to the property’s close ties with agriculture, including the grain ark – a huge oak chest used for storing grain. This is the only item that came with the property. It’s likely to be one of the arks recorded in the 1662 inventory of the estate.

The Great Barn

The agricultural story of East Riddlesden Hall doesn’t end in the house. The Great Barn is one of the finest barns in the north of England. Pause for a moment to take in the huge gabled entrances and large mullioned windows of this magnificent building.

The Great Barn has undergone very few changes since the 17th century and retains many of its original features, including its riven oak structure and flagged flooring. The barn would have been used to house cattle over the winter, as well as providing storage for food and fodder.

Today it’s home a collection of agricultural equipment including ploughs, a selection of carts and a winnowing machine. It’s also home to bats and birds.