Situated in a very quiet part of North Yorkshire, Hovingham Hall is a magnificent country house that remains very much a family home.

Originating from Lancashire, the Worsley family have been associated with the manor of Hovingham since 1563, but they did not build a house on the estate until late into the 17th century. An early estate map, showing this modest property, is the only remaining evidence of the first house. Located to the north west of the present day Hovingham Hall, this building was entirely demolished about 1830.

When the 5th Thomas Worsley inherited in 1715, he certainly left his legacy at Hovingham, but not by undertaking alterations to the building. His passion was for outdoor life and gardening, and this led to the substantial landscaping project he began. An impressive yew hedge beside the cricket pitch, and several Scots Pine and Lime trees provide glimpses of Worsley's extensive planting scheme. In the mid 18th century, it was his son – another Thomas – who commenced building the Hovingham Hall seen today. Like his father, he also had a passion for horses and he appeared determined to ensure that they would have pride of place in the new house.

As an accomplished student of architecture, he decided he would become the architect for this project – he also took on the roles of surveyor and draughtsman, knowing exactly what it was he wanted to achieve. However, his plans were cost-prohibitive and instead of his concept of a grand new house with a separate stable block, Thomas took the somewhat radical decision to construct the house around the stables. Unsurprisingly, the horses did not live in the main building (beneath the beautiful reception rooms created on the first floor) for very long.

When the new stable block was completed, the remaining vaulted space was converted into two amazing vestibules. Thomas's enthusiasm to complete the house was marred by a tragedy in 1774 – his eldest son died quite suddenly – and a planned south wing was never constructed. Only four years later, Thomas himself died and little else was done to the house until the 1830s when Sir William Worsley made some significant improvements. These included the painting of the dome in the Staircase Hall, the addition of the Grecian banisters to the existing stairway, and the remodelling of the Ionic Room.

Hovingham Hall is a remarkable home, highlighting the beauty of those classic features envisaged by Thomas Worsley. It is thought that the inspiration for much of his work, including the temples in the park, was as a result of discovering the remains of a Roman villa when digging out the canals that ran through the park over 300 years ago. Although much changed over the years, the park and gardens are quite stunning and certainly provide an appropriate setting for the house.

If the building itself is not tempting enough, one of Hovingham's 'claim to fame' is the wedding reception it hosted in 1961 for Katherine Worsley – the only daughter of Sir William – who married HRH the Duke of Kent at York Minster. This wonderful occasion is commemorated by a photograph taken at the ceremony by Cecil Beaton. A much earlier union of some note was that between the 5th Thomas Worsley and the great granddaughter of Oliver Cromwell, Mary Frankland, in the 17th century.