About the house

 

The house was built sometime before 1733 for the Aislabie family - probably John Aislabie who by the "most notorious, dangerous and infamous corruption" amassed a personal fortune that enabled him to lay out the water gardens at Studley, donate the obelisk to Ripon's market square and to build a few new houses! This was a boom time for the city. John (Ripon's MP) was Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1718 at the time of the South Sea Bubble. In 1720, when the bubble burst, Parliament discovered that he had taken huge bribes for his promotion of the scheme and he was sent to the Tower of London. On release from prison he retired in disgrace to Ripon, continued his work on the Studley Water Gardens and probably built our house.
The first recorded owner (1800) is Elizabeth Allanson, heiress to the Aislabie estate. Her niece Rebecca was tenant until 1837. In John Humphries' 1800 map of Ripon the house is shown as a traditional '4 square' Georgian townhouse. Two wings were added in the 1850's to house the expanding household of James Robson (2 parents, 7 children & 3 servants) whose family occupied the house for over 40 years. It has changed little since.
The house was finally sold out of the Aislabie family in 1886 by George Frederick Samuel Robinson - Marquess of Ripon. He is the portly gent on the left. His statue in the Spa Gardens lists his political career - everything from First Lord of the Admiralty and Viceroy for India to Mayor of Ripon. He was even born at 10 Downing Street! His title was bestowed by a grateful nation for his part in averting war between Britain and the USA. It was the Alabama Commission, of which he was a member, that defused the row ensuing when several ships including the Alabama were built in Britain for the losing side (the Confederacy) in the American Civil War! The new owner was Robert Bowman, surgeon and magistrate and most subsequent owners have been from the medical or legal professions.
The house was given Grade II listed status in 1949 - it is an historic house in an historic city. It is also a lovely family house and we are pleased to share its character and comfort with our guests.