Although Hornington seems like a quiet retreat now, it has a long and interesting history, with the first recorded mention of Hornington appearing in the Doomsday survey of 1086. However, a settlement at Hornington it is predicted to pre-date this, with Anglo-Saxon coins being unearther on the site, suggesting that there was a settlement at the time of the Viking raids and there was a rush to hide the wealth.

The original Hornington settlement was located down by the river Wharfe, comprising of 360 acres of arable land, 12 acres of meadow and woodland. this was a thriving village, but gradually dispersed over the centuries, although a large house and cottage remained, thought to be the original Hornington Manor.

A house on the site of the present Hornington Manor first appears on a map in 1775. Historians have proposed that the nearby pond indicates that the bricks used to build the house were made on site.

Ownership of Hornington changed in 1851 when it was bought by Lord Londesborough. It is during this period that the Victorian wing was added to the property, to make Hornington more suitable as a gentleman’s residence, with a large drawing room for entertaining and a grand staircase leading to extra bedrooms. The Manor was then owned by two other families until it was purchased and lovingly restored by the Spinks family in 2009.

Be sure to ask for one of our History Books when you visit Hornington Manor.