Denton Hall History
The Estate at Denton dates back to at least 1253 when it was given by the owner, named as Athelstan. The property changed hands in 1284 and again in 1379 when, according to the poll tax returns Denton had a reputation for clothes making and drapery.
In 1482 the Denton Estate became the property of the Thwaites family (through marriage) who continued possession until 1515 when it changed hands, once again through marriage. The new owners were perhaps the most famous of the Estate's owners, the Fairfax family.
The 3rd Lord Fairfax, Thomas or Black Tom, rose to the position of General of the Parliamentary Army and inherited the title Lord of the Man and the Isles. The property remained in the Fairfax family until around 1700 when it was sold by Lady Fairfax, wife of the 5th Lord Fairfax, to Henry Ibbetson of Leeds.
The Ibbetson family did much to improve the Estate and were great farmers, famed for breeding shorthorn cattle. They did have their fair share of misfortune, however, the original Denton Castle was burnt down around 1734, and rebuilt by Samuel Ibbetson, only to be destroyed, once again by fire, in 1743.
It was Sir John Ibbetson who commissioned the services of John Carr of York, an associate of the famous Architect Robert Adam, to build the Denton Hall we see today. Carr also designed Harewood House and the stable block at Castle Howard. Building work at Denton was completed in 1778 at a total cost of £100,000.
The Estate then passed to the Wyvill family through marriage in 1845 and was sold to Baron Albert Illingworth in 1920. In 1925 the Hall one again changed hands when it was bought by Arthur Hill. Mr Hill made a number of changes to the layout of the Hall which are still evident today.
The room we now use as the dining room was converted from the dairy and laundry to a grand ballroom in Jacobean style complete with chimney piece and overmantle from Combe Abbey - for the visit of HRH The Prince of Wales. During this time alterations were also made to the room described as "evidence closet, library and bedrooms" to form the billiard room. Complete with 15th century woodwork in a Gothic style, the room has linen fold carvings made from a screen and choir stalls.
After Mr Hill's death in 1935, his widow Eleanor continued to live in the Hall until she passed away aged 100.
Denton Hall was finally purchased by NG Bailey in 1976 and extensively refurbished at a cost of over £2 million.