Nunnington Hall

Before you go: the practical facts

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Address

Nunnington Hall, Nunnington, York YO62 5UY. Telephone 01439 748283.

Who runs it

the National Trust.

Opening

the hall was open 10.30am to 4pm at the end of October 2026, last entry an hour before closing. For its Christmas displays it opens Thursday to Sunday from 19 November to 20 December 2026, 10.30am to 4pm (last admission 3pm). Two festive evenings run on Saturday 5 and Saturday 12 December, 4pm to 8pm, when the garden is closed and you will want a torch. Dates for early 2027 and the 2027 season were not yet published, so check the National Trust calendar before a winter trip.

Admission

free for National Trust members and under fives. For non-members the Trust lists an adult ticket at £14.30 with Gift Aid (£13.00 without), a child (5 to 17) at £7.20 (£6.50), and a family ticket at £35.80 (£32.50). Yorkshire's Great Houses, Castles and Gardens cards and RHS membership are also accepted.

Getting here by car

the visitor car park is free, with four EV charge points, mobility spaces and campervan spaces. The village bridge is under repair: from Hovingham the entrance is over the bridge, from Wombleton it is before it. The Trust advises searching for "Nunnington Hall Car Park" in your sat nav, as the postcode can mislead. The car park closes 15 minutes after the hall.

Toilets and café

toilets on the ground and first floors, baby changing on the first floor and an accessible toilet reached by a ramp in the rear courtyard. The Tea Room is inside the house, and there is a walled Tea Garden on the riverbank.

Dogs

welcome on short leads in the garden, courtyards and wider estate. Only assistance dogs in the house and café.

Accessibility

the ground floor, café and garden are step free, but the upper floors are stairs only. Garden paths are gravel, grass and flagstone. Two wheelchairs can be booked by phone, and a virtual reality tour covers all three floors for anyone who cannot manage the stairs. Pushchairs stay in the rear courtyard.

Public transport

in 2026 the Moorsbus M8 served Nunnington at weekends. The network has finished for 2026 and hopes to run again from Easter to mid September 2027, funding permitting.

What you will see

Inside, rooms to look for include the Oak Hall, the Drawing Room and the Oak Bedroom; look out for the painting of William Rutson's groom and horses in the Oak Hall. On the top floor, the Carlisle Collection of miniature rooms sits in glass cases, each one a tiny, detailed interior. A gallery on the same floor hosts changing exhibitions.

Outside, five acres of garden run along the Rye. It has been managed organically since 2002, and the Iris Garden reopened in May 2025 after a redesign. Peacocks wander about, and children have an adventure playground.

A short history

1249: the earliest mention of a hall at Nunnington, then owned by St Mary's Abbey in York.

1499: Maud Grene married Sir Thomas Parr and the estate passed to the Parrs. Their daughter, Catherine Parr, became the last wife of Henry VIII.

1553: William, Marquess of Northampton, forfeited Nunnington to the Crown after backing Lady Jane Grey.

1655: the London merchant Ranald Graham bought the freehold.

1691: Richard Graham, Viscount Preston, was captured on the Thames carrying papers to the exiled James II. Sentenced to death for treason, he was spared and retired to Nunnington.

1839: the Grahams sold the hall to William Rutson. National Trust research has traced part of the Rutson family's wealth to the slave trade.

1922: Margaret Fife, born a Rutson, moved into the renovated hall with her husband.

1952: on her death, the house and garden were left to the National Trust.

Tips and timing

• The Christmas opening runs Thursday to Sunday only, so plan around it.
• In summer, the riverside Tea Garden is the best seat in the house.
• The Trust publishes a 4.5 mile walk up Caulkleys Bank and round the Rye.

Nearby

• Helmsley
• Castle Howard
• Yorkshire Lavender

Nunnington Hall FAQs

Is Nunnington Hall open in winter?

It opens Thursday to Sunday from 19 November to 20 December 2026 for its Christmas displays. Early 2027 dates have not yet been published.

Is parking free at Nunnington Hall?

Yes, the visitor car park is free for all visitors.

Can I take my dog to Nunnington Hall?

Yes, on a short lead in the garden, courtyards and estate, but not in the house or café.

Who lived at Nunnington Hall?

Owners include the Parr family, the Grahams, Viscounts Preston, and the Rutsons, whose descendant Margaret Fife left it to the National Trust in 1952.

How far is Nunnington Hall from Helmsley?

About six miles east of Helmsley.

Is Nunnington Hall wheelchair accessible?

The ground floor, café and garden are step free. The upper floors have stairs only, but a virtual reality tour covers them.

Sources checked 29 October 2026: National Trust, Nunnington Hall visitor page, opening calendar and history; National Trust, Christmas at Nunnington Hall; National Trust, history of Nunnington Hall; National Trust, visiting with your dog; North York Moors National Park, Nunnington Hall; Moorsbus timetables.