Cool Places
Fairfax House
Castlegate York YO1 9RN
The finest Georgian townhouse in England? Judge for yourself at Fairfax House, a gem of a house that was bought for lucky little Anne Fairfax (the only surviving child of Viscount Fairfax) as a dowry in 1760. Eminent Yorkshire architect John Carr was called in to design the interior, which he created in the classical style, complete with a beautiful staircase, wrought iron balustrades and striking Venetian windows. In the 20th century the house was used as a cinema and dancehall, but has now been skillfully recreated as it was during Anne’s day, furnished with 18th century furniture, objets, art and trinkets. You can just turn up for the guided tours on a Monday – no need to book – and they take about an hour.
