Lotherton Hall is a country house near Aberford, Leeds, West Yorkshire. It lies a short distance from the A1 motorway, 200 miles equidistant between London and Edinburgh. The building was home to a number of families through history including the Nevilles (notably Archbishop George Neville, younger brother of Warwick the Kingmaker), the de Hothams, and finally the Gascoignes in 1825. Richard Gascoigne took up ownership of the house following the death of his aunt Elizabeth, wife of Lord Ashtown, in 1883. It became the main residence of the Gascoigne family after the death of Richard's father Frederick at Parlington Hall in 1905. It is sited on part of the Gascoigne estate, and was presented for public access to the City of Leeds in 1968 by Sir Alvery Gascoigne and his wife, last of the Gascoigne family, whose roots were at Parlington Hall. The estate is now home to an extensive collection of rare and endangered bird species, a herd of red deer, and also, at various times, llamas. There is a large expanse of grassland in front of the bird sanctuary, typically used during the summer months for ball games and picnics. Behind the Hall itself a further field is often used to host shows, such as an annual motorcycle show. The Hall, which was extensively rebuilt during the Victorian and Edwardian eras, holds an impressive collection of objets d'art which has been built up since the 18th century: these are now on display to the public.
