Now! Then! Painter Joseph Farington hears an anecdote of York architect John Carr’s 1760s Palladian conversion of Constable Burton Hall, Leyburn

21 May 1809: Painter Joseph Farington hears an anecdote of York architect John Carr’s 1760s Palladian conversion of Constable Burton Hall, Leyburn

Joseph Farington. 1925. The Farington Diary, Vol. 5 (January 9, 1808, to December 21, 1809). Ed. James Greig. London: Hutchinson and Co. Get it:

Excerpt

When the late Sir Marmaduke Wyvill came into possession of his estate, being then a very young man, he desired to have some alterations made in his family mansion. He applied to Mr Carr for that purpose, and the alterations having been fixed upon, which were to have cost £1,500, Sir Marmaduke said he should make an excursion to Scotland, and in about five months, about the end of October, should return, and Carr assured him he should have everything completed for his residence in November. Sir Marmaduke proceeded on his tour, and, trusting to Carr, had no correspondence with him. He returned at the time proposed, and being on horseback, when he came within a certain distance of his house, he was surprised at not seeing it, and began to think he had mistaken the road to it, but proceeding a little farther, his servant assured him that though the house was not seen they were on the right track. He went on, till approaching the spot on which it had stood, nothing appeared but the lower part of walls, scaffold etc. Sir Marmaduke was astonished and went to Carr who was at York, who told him that he had sent workmen to take down a certain part of the house, where alterations were proposed, but that there had been a mistake and they had pulled down the whole house. Christopher Wyvill, who succeeded to Sir Marmaduke’s estate, told Lord Muncaster that this mistake, as Carr called it, cost Sir Marmaduke £10,000 to build another house.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations

Comment

This article dates Carr’s work at Constable Burton to 1762-68.

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Original

Lord Muncaster told us an Anecdote of the late Mr. Carr, Architect, of York.—When the late Sir Marmaduke Wyvil, came into posession of His estate, being then a very young man, He desired to have some alterations made in His family mansion in Yorkshire. He applied to Mr. Carr for that purpose, & the alterations [having] been fixed upon, which were to have cost £1500, Sir Marmaduke said He shd. make an excursion to Scotland, and in abt. 5 months, abt. the end of October, shd. return. Sc Carr assured Him He should have everything compleated for his residence in November.—Sir Marmaduke proceeded on His tour, & trusting to Carr had no correspondence with Him. He returned at the time proposed and being on Horseback, when He came within a certain distance of His House, He was surprised at not seeing it, & began to think He had mistaken the road to it, but proceeding a little farther, His Servant assured Him that though the House was not seen they were on the right track. He went on, till approaching the spot on which it had stood, nothing appeared but the lower part of walls, Scaffold &c.

Sir Marmaduke was astonished & went to Carr who was at York, who told Him, that He had sent workmen to take down a certain part of the House, where alterations were proposed to be made, but that there had been a mistake and they had pulled down the whole House. Mr. Wyvil, who succeeded to Sir Marmaduke’s estate told Lord Muncaster that this mistake as Carr called it, cost Sir Marmaduke £10,000 to build another House.

274 words.