Palmes family

[2] The Palmes family of Naburn can trace its ancestry through a maternal line to Robert de Todeni (died 1088), a powerful Norman baron.

It shows that in addition to Naburn the family held estates in: Riccall, Escrick, South Duffield, Elvington, Barthorpe, Sutton, Holtby, Berrythorpe and Gate Fulford.

A drawing of circa 1720 shows it as a two-storey house, three bays long, with attic windows in tall pointed gables.

The main three-storey square block of rendered brick and stone dressings has a concealed slate roof.

The Coach house and Stables were built in the late 18th century with a Pedimented Clock tower and domed bell-turret.

A one and a half-storey Gate Lodge was built on the main road in the early 19th century, with a central stack, slated roof and veranda.

Several members of the family have married into the peerage, this includes: Sir Brian Palmes raised a regiment for King Charles I; subsequently he was compounded for his estate by the Parliamentarians.

Unfortunately for the Palmes family they were rather visible, as Naburn Hall stood two miles downstream on the opposite bank to the palace of the Archbishop of York on the River Ouse and they went on suffering fines for non-attendance at church until they changed religious allegiance in 1784.