Bell Hall, Historic country house in Naburn, England.
Bell Hall is a rectangular brick building with stone detailing and entrances positioned on both south and west sides, topped with a slate roof. The ground floor holds an entrance hall, parlour, dining room, and library, while servant quarters and the kitchen occupy the basement level.
Construction of this residence was completed in 1680 for John Hewley, with John Etty possibly serving as the architect and later becoming the father of painter William Etty. A kitchen wing was added in 1717 during the growing refinement of domestic architecture in England.
The entrance hall contains a relocated Jacobean overmantel piece from Deighton Hall, while the drawing room displays painted wooden panels of French or Flemish origin. These artworks reveal the house's connection to art-patronizing circles and early modern collecting traditions.
Visiting allows you to understand the layout of an upper-class residence with clearly separated family and staff areas. Entry is possible from either the south or west elevation, and visitors should note that basement areas may be dimly lit and confined.
The house preserves its original main and rear staircases largely intact, with renovations limited primarily to the kitchen wing added in 1717. Decorative sundials were mounted above each entrance during the twentieth century, adding a layer of practical decoration that later owners valued.
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