New Rooms Open at Athelhampton
- Juliet Braidwood
- Jan 15, 2025
- 1 min read
Oddly not a photograph of Athelhampton to start this post. Instead an archive photograph of the Riley-Smith Hall in Tadcaster.
I hear you asking why? Well, it’s complicated.
In 1890 a Yorkshire solicitor’s daughter, Mary Bromet married Frank Riley-Smith who, with his brother, owned John Smith’s brewery in Tadcaster. Frank died in 1912, and left his considerable wealth and share of the brewery to his wife Mary, who would remarry a few years later.
Mary and her new husband, George Cochrane purchased Athelhampton in 1918. Some of the house and gardens had been restored by this time, but Mary and George would build a new North Wing at Athelhampton.
At the same time, Mary and her nephew William Riley-Smith (inheriting his share from Frank’s brother Herbert) commissioned the building of a theatre, ballroom and concert hall in Tadcaster.
Both the Riley-Smith Hall and the Cochrane’s North Wing are 100 years old this year. We refurbished the Cochrane’s Wing in 2022 and to celebrate 100 years we have been adding some of the rooms to the route around the historic house. The schedule of these extra new rooms open at Athelhampton will vary throughout 2025.
