A family holding the title Lord of the Manor of Thirsk for nearly 3 centuries shared its plans to open the grounds of their ancestral home to the public and transform the market town into a destination for culture.
Willoughby Gerrish stated that Hambleton District Council approved plans to build a sculpture park, glamping site, and art gallery on the grounds of Thirsk Hall. This was the beginning of a broad-based ambition that would help to generate funds for maintaining the property.
Mr. Gerrish, whose wife Daisy’s ancestor, MP, and merchant Ralph Bell, bought the hall in 1723, said that while the three-story Georgian home and its parklands were “quite private” with only a handful of events, it was now hoped to attract all year long.
The Bell family says they don’t want visitors to Thirsk to stay for just an hour. They want them to spend a full day exploring the town.
Mr. Gerrish stated that “We are lucky in having an uncommon house that is basically in town, yet it has this 20-acre Green Space behind it. It is a great space that we would love to share with local businesses and events. Cross-pollination can be important.
“We are fortunate to have great sculpture parks in Yorkshire and art museums in the area. But there is nothing in this region, so we are trying to set up a culture center in Thirsk.
“Really, we’ve just turned it into an outdoor art gallery. Gradually, we’ll build more and better things to tie in with this.”
According to Mr. Gerrish, he had just received permission to convert one of the barns into an art gallery. Visitors would be welcome all year to indoor events like “high-brow shows,” which feature loans from museums.
The family’s interconnected plans for the site include a music festival in September, and a literary festival next summer. One common thread is that the venue should be a platform for local talent to show off their talents.