The estate is nationally recognized: Grade?I listed for both the house and its parkland—the highest designation for heritage importance Individual features—such as the Ionic and Tuscan Temples, stable blocks, ha?ha, orangery, laundry, and Father Time sundial—are listed Grade?II or II*   The historian Christopher Hussey prai

In 1879 the house suffered a devastating fire that gutted its central block William Young led the reconstruction in 1895, rebuilding on Wakefield’s footprint but adapting interiors to Victorian sensibilities while preserving key architectural forms. From 1914 to 1980, Duncombe Park served as a girls’ boarding school, ensuring continued care

Between 1718 and 1730, Thomas Duncombe commissioned landscape designer Charles Bridgeman to transform the surrounding grounds into a Picturesque spectacle  Bridgeman’s plan incorporated formal parterres near the house, meandering walks, woodland glades, and sweeping lawns, creating graceful transitions into the natural landscape. In 1758, Tho

The story begins not with the Duncombes but in medieval times. In the early 12th century, Helmsley and its adjacent lands were granted to Walter de L’Espec, a Norman baron. He built Helmsley Castle and helped found Rievaulx Abbey, solidifying the estate’s early prominence  Ownership then passed to the de Ros family, who fortified the castle in