Stately home with grounds to celebrate as lockdown ended

THE DESIRE to seek solace in the open air has been at the forefront of people’s minds amid the coronavirus lockdown.

And for staff at one stately home in North Yorkshire, the pandemic has not halted a wave of visitors to its grounds.

Managers at Kiplin Hall have revealed that visitor numbers for last month were at a similar level to the same month in 2019, although final figures are still being collated.

The hall itself was closed until the easing of the lockdown meant that it could reopen on July 4 while adhering to the Government’s strict guidelines.

However, its grounds remained open and allowed visitors the chance to escape the confines of their homes throughout the lockdown period.

The hall and its gardens, which are now run by an independent charity, were built in 1620s by George Calvert, the founder of the first colony in Maryland.

Meanwhile, one of Yorkshire’s leading attractions has announced that it will be reopening from the start of next month.

Managers at the North York Moors Railway announced yesterday that they are planning to re-open the line from August 1, which is the date for the annual Yorkshire Day celebrations.

The railway, which runs from Pickering to Whitby and lays claim to being the world’s most popular heritage line, will be staging a phased reopening to adhere to guidelines set out by the Government. Details are available on the railway’s website at www.nymr.co.uk/