It started life in 1860, built by Lord Bolton as a home for his daughter who was marrying what was reputed to be the penniless Captain Ferrand, and was indeed endowed to the bride and groom – along with around 800 acres of surrounding farmland – on their marriage. The hall was reputedly built to enjoy Lord Bolton’s favourite view of Middleham Castle across the dale and this could well be true for it is indeed centred on the castle which sits at the same height at the same point on the opposite side of the Dale. The estate was run as a farm by the Ferrand family for the subsequent 100 years until the hall was separated from the farmland and sold off in 1960.
The buyer was the Ministry of Defence who used the hall as the private residence for the Major General commanding Catterick Garrison . The current owners have met the former batman to the family who talked of being armed with a pistol to protect the family and cooking all the family’s meals on the (still present) original cast iron cooking range in the former servants’ quarters right up to 1969 when the property was again sold, becoming a boutique hotel. Thorney Hall subsequently moved into private ownership and was split into multiple dwellings which were combined once again by the present owners, who have restored it to its former glory via a comprehensive refurbishment programme which was completed in 2016.
The incarnation of Thorney Hall which is once again looking for a new owner is a fine country estate tha.