In 1758, Thomas Duncombe II continued the transformation by constructing the Rievaulx Terrace—a half-mile-long embankment perched above the valley and oriented toward the ancient ruins of Rievaulx Abbey Dotted with two architectural focal points—the Ionic Temple and Tuscan (Doric) Temple—the terrace blended architecture and nature. Local stories suggest guests dined beneath these classical follies, surrounded by sculpted columns and views that exemplified eighteenth-century aesthetic ideals .
The Duncombes: Aristocrats, Politicians, Collectors
The estate remained under the Duncombe family’s stewardship through successive generations, with each leaving a unique mark:
- Charles Slingsby Duncombe (d. 1803) built an impressive art collection, including works by Rembrandt and Van Dyck, and served as High Sheriff of Yorkshire
- His son, Charles Duncombe, 1st Baron Feversham (1764–1841), became an MP and was elevated to the peerage in 1826
- His heir, William Duncombe, 2nd Baron Feversham, continued the political tradition. His son was later raised to Earl of Feversham in 1868
During this period, architects including Charles Barry (1843) and William Young (1895) introduced Victorian embellishments—such as clock towers, ornate chimneys, and courtyard reorganizations—while remaining faithful to the original Baroque layout shutdown123