Collection
OUT & ABOUT
house Lord Allendale gives Liz Hands a tour of his stately
W
alk past the buffalo and kudu heads that greet you as you enter Bywell Hall and you come to an imposing portrait of Wentworth Peter Ismay Beaumont, 4th Viscount Allendale, or Wenty as he is known to his friends. Opposite that is an image of Lord Allendale’s late father Wentworth Hubert Charles Beaumont, portrayed as a young boy by none other than Philip de László, the renowned society artist who also painted the Queen, when she was Princess Elizabeth, and the Queen Mother. They’re just some of the little-seen treasures that will be on show when Bywell Hall’s state rooms open to the public for the first time this spring. It’s going to be quite a year for Lord Allendale and
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home before it opens to the public this spring Allendale Estates as he and his team prepare to throw open the James Paine-built Palladian hall and its grounds. Not only are the state rooms sure to attract art lovers, and those who are just curious to see what lies inside the Grade II-listed home, but Allendale Estates, of which Bywell Hall is part, will be hosting the Northumberland County Show for the first time ever in May. Lord and Lady Allendale are also preparing for a celebration of a much more personal nature when their eldest daughter, the Hon Lucy Harriet Beaumont marries her fiancé the Hon Michael Julian Marsham, the youngest son of the 8th Earl of Romney, in April, at Bywell Hall. It’s the only time the Beaumonts are aware of a wedding taking place at the 18th century hall and just goes to show that this is no stuffy country house, but very much a family home. While Lord and Lady Allendale live “150 yards up the road,” Bywell Hall is still used for entertaining and their eldest son and heir, Wenty Jnr, or the Hon Wentworth Ambrose Ismay Beaumont, bases himself between the hall and Bywell Castle when he is in Northumberland. Wenty Jnr not only helps to run Allendale Estates, but works as an art dealer in London. And it is because Wenty Jnr is clearly the art expert of the family that he will be giving a press tour and the
first public tour of Bywell Hall, showing visitors around the ground floor, including the dining room, drawing room and library, a role he says he is very excited by. While his father says the tours could be “a bit of an acquired taste,” adding: “It’s obviously not fairground stuff, but there’s a lot to see – the family portraits, landscapes, tapestries and furniture,” Wenty Jnr adds: “Rumblings are we are going to get a lot of interest. People are enthused by it and we’ve had a lot of volunteers coming forward to help.” The Beaumonts take their responsibilities as estate owners seriously while still exuding an air of warmth. And this is never more evident than in the portrait of his father which Wenty Jnr persuaded his friend Hugo Wilson, one of Britain’s brightest young artistic talents, to take on. With a nod to traditional portraiture, the image also shows a sense of humour as Lord Allendale poses in elaborate carpet slippers. It’s also clear in Wenty Jnr’s attitude to the art tour. “I’m looking forward to showing people around,” he says.
While his father says the tours could be “a bit of an acquired taste,” adding: “It’s obviously not fairground stuff, but there’s a lot to see