On the beauty of Burton Constable Hall in East Yorkshire

January 25, 2025

On the beauty of Burton Constable Hall in East Yorkshire

I am a frequent visitor to Burton Constable Hall, a large Tudor mansion in East Yorkshire, England. The hall is brick built and its exterior has a different beauty from the nearby historic houses of Burton Agnes or Castle Howard. Internally it is very beautiful with several generations of family history on show.

Entrance hall at Burton Constable Hall
Entrance hall at Burton Constable Hall

The hall was designed to impress visitors and show the residents' social and economic status and it certainly does that. The entrance hall is a very large room with a the family coat of arms displayed alongside paintings and very fine quality statues. It makes a big impression. Of course guests of low status would not be welcomed via the entrance hall - there was a separate less salubrious entrance for them.

Burton Constable coat of arms
Burton Constable coat of arms

The fireplace in the entrance hall is very large and ornate. It is a very grand room and the fireplace is a focal point. The room is very well lit with large windows and the ceiling is very high. In the centre of the fireplace is the family coat of arms. The coat of arms is a very important symbol of the family and their status. The coat of arms is a very large and ornate shield with a number of symbols, each of which has a meaning flattering to the family. Either side are classical busts and fine decoration.

Burton Constable dining room
Burton Constable dining room

The dining room was where guests would be entertained with fine cuisine and one would hope fine conversation. Given their power and influence combined with the education they could afford to buy, the owners of Burton Constable Hall and their esteemed guests would have been able to converse on a wide range of important topics. The dining room is a very large room to accommodate many guests and servants with a very large table in the centre. The table is set with fine china and silverware. The walls are decorated with fine plaster carvings themed on hunting and feasting. Like all of the guest rooms it is very well lit with large windows and the ceiling is very high. Guests would certainly have appreciated the grandeur of the room.

Tudor ancestors at Burton Constable Hall
Tudor ancestors at Burton Constable Hall

Aristocratic families love to show off their heritage and bloodline to this day, so important family members would have their portraits painted and showed off in one of the long hallways of the house. The portraits are of a time when oil painting had developed to a very fine art, and the quality of the paintings is high. A family as prestigious as the Burton Constable owners would have been able to attract very good artists.

One of the long hallways at Burton Constable Hall
One of the long hallways at Burton Constable Hall

An impressive hallway here features excellent ceramics and sculptures to make a backfrop for paintings of the family's illustrious ancestry.

Fine furniture at Burton Constable Hall
Fine furniture at Burton Constable Hall

The period furniture in the house is of a very high quality. The owners of Burton Constable Hall would have been able to afford the very best furniture and the best craftsmen to make it. It is very ornate and would have been very expensive. It has also proved to be very durable.

Chapel at Burton Constable Hall
Chapel at Burton Constable Hall

Religion underpinned the entire aristocratic system. The King or Queen at the very top ruled by what was called 'divine right' and this belief, that the feudal system was divinely ordered, also extended to the families who lived in houses such as Burton Constable Hall. Aristocrats had considerable influence on the appointments to and the power structures of the Church. Therefore like any self respecting aristocratic family the family had their own chapel. Not for them the local church! For a while the family were catholics when this was a dangerous thing to be. A lot of wrk has gone into the chapel and for sure the family would have held sincere Christian beliefs. Religion was also handy for feeding the right mindset into the local peasants!

Chapel stained glass window at Burton Constable Hall
Chapel stained glass window at Burton Constable Hall

The chapel has a wonderful ornate stained glass window.

Harp at Burton Constable Hall
Harp at Burton Constable Hall

The family would have been able to afford the best musical instruments and the best musicians. The harp is a very beautiful instrument, ornate and made to the highest standards, and would have been played in the drawing room for the entertainment of guests. In addition to the harp the house also features pianos and other instruments which may have been played by especially female embers of the family, as music was a way of showing culture and sophistication.

Games table at Burton Constable Hall
Games table at Burton Constable Hall

After dinner and conversation the aristocrats might retire to play some parlour games as can be seen from their gaming tables.

Ornate bedroom at Burton Constable Hall
Ornate bedroom at Burton Constable Hall

The taste for grand and ornate rooms also extended to the bedrooms. The family would have had a number of bedrooms for themselves and their guests. The bedrooms at Burton Constable are not especially large and feature ornate decoration and good views of the surrounding estate. The beds are again not especially large but are ornate.

Ornate table at Burton Constable Hall
Ornate table at Burton Constable Hall

In addition to functional furniture such as chairs, tables and beds the house also features many furniture items which are ornate and have great beauty. Again these items showed taste, sophistication and the ability to afford the best craftsmanship

This article only scratches the surface of Burton Constable Hall which could be, and has been, the subject of an entire book. Its walls have doubtless seen much drama, history, many secrets, and centuries of historical change. The hall is now operated by a charitable trust which seeks to ensure that future generations can appreciate its grandeur and its portrayal of the feudal and aristocratic system which dominated Europe for centuries, the vestiges of which still survive in modern Britain. and is open to the public.

Burton Constable Hall is now run as a charitable trust, as the feudal economics of land and agriculture which built and supported it have long since disappeared into history. The hall and its gardens are well worth a visit as a case study in the history and social and cultural structures of a Britain long gone.

Friendly local staff and volunteers are on hand to answer any questions about the hall, and are always knowledgeable.

After enjoying the beautiful interior of the hall the surrounding gardens, country walks and lake are also worth a look.

There is a good cafe where locally cooked cakes and other delicacies can be found!