House & Family History: Hornby is a medieval manor house of the Conyers family that was rebuilt on a large scale by William, 1st Lord Conyers, circa 1500. The house was largely rebuilt again in the 18th century for Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holderness. James "Athenian" Stuart probably (attribution is uncertain) performed alterations in the 1750s for Lord Holderness, followed by John Carr, who, in the 1760s, added the South Wing (the only surviving fragment of the house), the East Wing (demolished 1930), and a variety of outbuildings. In the early 20th century the 11th Duke of Leeds took the decision to sell his ancestral home (Hornby had been owned by the dukes of Leeds since 1778) and move to the Italian Riviera. In November 1929 it was announced that the castle and its contents were to be sold by Messrs. Lofts and Warner; in January 1930 the castle and estate were purchased by John Todd of Northallerton, who broke up the estate and held a six-day sale of the contents of the house. A demolition sale was held in September of 1930, when stonework and other architectural fragments were sold, soon thereafter the majority of the house was demolished, leaving only the 18th century South Wing, stripped and gutted, standing. The grandiose late 15th century doorcase was sold to William Randolph Hearst and ultimately ended up in The Burrell Collection, Glasgow, where it remains today.

Collections: Hornby contained an exceptionally important collection of late Stuart furniture originally made at the order of the 1st Duke of Leeds for Kiveton Park, another Yorkshire seat of the dukes of Leeds. One of a pair of pendant views of St. Mark's, Venice, by Canaletto, purchased by the 4th Duke of Leeds, Francis Osborne (1685-1741), and formerly in the collection of Hornby, is today in the collection of the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University. A set of 16 portraits of early English kings and queens that formerly hung at Hornby is today in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London. Though made by different hands or workshops in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, the portraits are all of English manufacture. A circa 1767-72 Joseph Baumhauer commode, once in the collection of Hornby Castle, is today in the Widener Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington (see "Images" section). In 1930 there was a six-day sale of the contents of the house.

John Preston (J.P.) Neale, published under the title of Views of the Seats of Noblemen and Gentlemen in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, among other titles: 2.S. Vol. I, 1824.

Country Life: XX, 54, 1906. XXXI, 475 [Furniture], 1912. XLVII, 720 [Furniture], 1920.

House Listed: Grade I

Park Listed: Grade II

Current Seat / Home of: Roger and Julia Clutterbuck; Clutterbuck family here since 1936.

Past Seat / Home of: St. Quintin family, 14th century. William Conyers, 1st Baron Conyers, 15th century; Robert Conyers Darcy, 4th Earl of Holderness, 18th century. Francis Osborne, Marquess of Carmarthen and 5th Duke of Leeds, 18th century; Osborne family here 1778 until 1929. Sir Harold Parkinson, 1929-30. Major-General Walter E. Clutterbuck, 20th century.

Current Ownership Type: Individual / Family Trust

Primary Current Ownership Use: Private Home

House Open to Public: No

Historic Houses Member: No