A Brief History of Stockeld Park

In 1757 William Middleton, a prominent local gentlemen, commissioned James Paine to design a house at Stockeld Park.

The construction was put in hand early in 1758 and the work was completed by 1763.

The style chosen was that of a Palladian Villa. The main principle behind this style was that the rooms should be arranged around a central hall with doors leading off into each room, rather than the traditional idea of enfilade where a long series of rooms lead out of each other into the next with a consequent reduction of privacy.

The work on the house was carried out with great gusto and one can quote from Paines summary of the time;

' This building was carried out with great spirit as the worthy proprietor spared no expense to make it permanent and beautiful; but soon after the body of the house was finished, an inveterate gout put a period to his life and prevented many schemes for the enrichment and improvement of this ancient family seat and the grounds about it.'

Stockeld Park | Palladian Villa | James Paine | Wetherby | Yorkshire