Princess Mary Centenary
At this summer’s NGS opening, Goldsborough Hall will be holding an exhibition to celebrate 100 years since the arrival of Princess Mary
HRH Princess Mary, only daughter of King George V and Queen Mary, married Viscount Henry Lascelles at Westminster Abbey on 28th February 1922. After the couple’s honeymoon, they often visited the Hall to inspect the changes and renovations before coming to live here in late December 1922. This summer’s exhibition at the National Garden Scheme garden opening, 23rd July 2023, will celebrate her wedding, her life at the Hall and the changes she made.
Princess Mary and Viscount Lascelles with their bridesmaids, 28th February 1922
Throughout 1922, Leeds-based architect Sydney Kitson was tasked with making the alterations to the hall and the estate. The Hall had been rented out to the Lamb family for many years but they were asked to vacate the property in anticipation of the Princess’s arrival and it was in need of some repair.
Plans for Goldsborough Hall by Leeds architect Sydney Kitson; Published with kind permission of the Harewood House Trust and the West Yorkshire Archive Service, WYL250/4/12/5
Inside the Hall, Kitson installed electric lights and reorganised the rooms, adding extra bathrooms as well as making repairs throughout the house. Outside the house his team built a dwarf-walled terrace and a vista was created to the south with two long herbaceous borders being flanked by two beech hedges. As you can see from the image below the borders centred on a sundial given to Princess Mary and Viscount Lascelles by the people of Hornton, Oxon. Kitson’s bill for all the work done at Goldsborough topped more than £22,000 - a considerable sum of money back in the Twenties!
View down the main borders with new beech hedge
A new lavender bed was planted on the south side of the hall
During the 1920s, Mary and her husband hosted many Royal visitors including King George V, Queen Mary, as well as Mary’s two brothers David and Bertie, later Edward VIII and George VI. Often the royal visitors were asked to plant trees in the Lime Tree Walk to celebrate their visit. In the image above you can see that the first four have been planted - one by Mary & her husband and the other three on 25th March 1923, the christening of their eldest child George. There were 34 trees planted in total including three kings and two queens!
HM Queen Mary’s plaque - one of five she planted in the Lime Tree Walk when she visited her daughter and son-in-law
Colour image of the front of the hall, 1920s
Lollipop and cones of box - now rather larger!
Borders were created at the front of the hall with flowers, shrubs and roses. The roses that still climb up the drawing room windows were planted in Princess Mary’s day as well as the now very large bay tree by the entrance. On the south side of the hall lollipop- and cone-shaped box were planted - all of which are there today, though somewhat larger!
The dining room where Kings and Queens dined
The Library in the 1920s - so many random chairs!
The Hall will be hosting a centenary exhibition at its NGS garden opening on 23rd July 2023. For more information on Goldsborough Hall’s Royal history click here.
It seems fitting that Viscount Lascelles should have brought Mary, his new bride to live at Goldsborough Hall as it was where he, himself had grown up as a child. Today it is a historic stately home you can visit, dine or stay the night in.
Standing in 12 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds which boast unspoilt elevated views over the historic gardens and tranquil parkland, it is one of the most private, exclusive and beautiful places to stay in Yorkshire.
For a fascinating and in-depth look at Mary’s life, see Princess Mary The First Modern Princess by Elisabeth Basford which was published in 2021 by The History Press.
