Belsay Hall is one of the most important neo-classical houses in Britain. Built between 1807 and 1815, it sits amongst 30 acres of landscaped gardens. Sir Charles Monck inherited the Belsay estate in the early 1800s and promptly set off on a two year European Grand Tour with his new wife. Whilst abroad he was greatly influenced by Grecian culture and architecture which led to him building a superb neo-classical house complete with gardens. The hidden quarry garden at Belsay leads visitors to another world, inspired by Monck's visits to ancient quarries in Sicily. The gardens are literally carved out of the landscape, which involved shifting huge amounts of earth and vegetation. Today visitors can marvel at the quarry garden's rugged ravines, pinnacles and sheer rock faces. Monck's grandson, Sir Arthur Middleton, developed the quarry further, adding yet more exotic species, and extending it to include the winter garden, yew garden, and magnolia terrace.
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