Heritage and Family

Rudby Hall is an historic royal residence built in 1838, at a cost of £16000, for the daughter of King William IV, Lady Amelia Cary and her husband the 10th Viscount Falkland. The Hall replaced a previous building known as Leven Grove and the estate originally covered over 60 acres.

The  1838 Hall – orginally known as Skutterskelfe Hall –  was designed by a famous architect of the time – Anthony Salvin and the extensive grounds designed by Lancelot Capability Brown.  The historic significance of the Hall is evidenced through its status as a Grade 2* listed establishment.

Rudby Hall has seen multiple changes of ownership and usage since its inception. Almost immediately after being built it was put up for let as the incumbents moved abroad. Lady Amelia later moved back and spent her last days in the Hall – her plaque is to be seen at All Saints Church in Hutton Rudby.

One of the earlier developments at Rudby Hall was the installation of a weir and a Pump House on the River Leven. The function of the Pump House (now privately owned) was to generate electricity for the Hall – the second house in the world (after Cragside in Northumberland) to be electrified.

The original estate included a walled kitchen garden, an ice-house, stables, a gate-lodge, a fountain, formal gardens, and various ancillary cottages. After the second world war the majority of the estate was divided into farms, and various buildings are now in private ownership. The Hall itself has undergone major refurbishment to ensure it will remain viable and significant for years to come.

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