Fairfax House facts for kids
Fairfax House is a beautiful old house in York, England. It's a type of house called a Georgian townhouse, built a long time ago in the 1740s. You can find it near famous spots like Clifford's Tower and York Castle Museum.
In 1759, a man named Charles Gregory Fairfax, who was a "Viscount" (a type of noble title), bought the house. He wanted it to be a home for his daughter, Ann. He hired a famous architect, John Carr, to make the inside of the house look amazing.
After the Viscount passed away in 1772, the house was sold many times. It was even used as a club, a building society, and later a cinema! But in the 1980s, a group called the York Civic Trust bought it. They worked hard to bring it back to its original grand style. Today, Fairfax House is a museum you can visit. It's also a very important old building, known as a Grade I listed building.
The House's Story
In 1761, Viscount Fairfax hired a well-known architect from Yorkshire named John Carr. Carr's job was to redesign the inside of the house at 27 Castlegate. The work was finished by 1765.
The inside of Fairfax House is very special. It has some of the best plasterwork from the mid-1700s. This fancy plaster was made by artists James Henderson and Giuseppe Cortese. There are also beautiful carved wooden details. The fancy iron railings on the staircases were made by Maurice Tobin.
The iron gates and railings that used to be at the front of the house were removed. This happened when the street was made wider. But an artist named Ridsdale Tait drew them, so we know what they looked like.
From Home to Museum
Viscount Fairfax died in 1772, and his family title ended. After him, many different families lived in Fairfax House. These included Sir Walter Vavasour, William Danby, and Sir John Lister Kaye.
Over time, the house was renamed St. George's Hall. It started to get old and fall apart. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, part of the building was even used as a dance hall.
In 1921, a cinema called St George's Cinema opened next to Fairfax House. The building was made bigger for the cinema. The cinema closed in 1970. The city council then bought the old building.
The city sold the house to the York Civic Trust. Between 1982 and 1984, an architect named Francis Johnson helped restore the building. They even turned the old cinema entrance into the main entrance for Fairfax House. Later, the York Conservation Trust bought the house. They now rent it back to the Civic Trust.
Special Collections and Art
In 1980, a man named Noel Terry passed away. He was from the famous Terry's chocolate company. He had a large collection of old Georgian furniture and clocks. This amazing collection was given to the York Civic Trust. It is now displayed in the rooms of Fairfax House.
The museum has added even more items to its collection over the years. These new pieces have been bought or given as gifts. For example, in 2017, a carved wooden panel was found. It was made by a famous carver named Grinling Gibbons when he was learning his trade in York. In 2023, a painting of Elizabeth Clifford was bought. She was the wife of the last Viscount Fairfax.
Gallery
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The Kitchen
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The Saloon
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The Drawing Room
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The Viscount Bedroom
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Annes Bedroom
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The main stairs
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Corridor inside
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The Dining Room
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The Library
