A new major exhibition at Temple Newsam shows that it really is the people that make a place as it delves into the lives of those who helped to shape the English country house estate. Work & Play, which opens on Tuesday 3 April 2007 at Temple Newsam, goes behind-the-scenes to take a look at the characters and communities who both lived and worked on the estate. Uncovering diaries, letters, photographs and oral history accounts, the exhibition brings to life the experiences of the many people who lived on the estate. From farmers and foresters to miners and mole catchers, the House and the great outdoors will be revealed. Highlights of the exhibition include an audio testimony by Leeds playwright Alan Bennett who gives an amusing account of when he frequently visited Temple Newsam by bicycle, as a boy, in the 1940s. A former coal miner and tenant of the Estate also give fascinating accounts of their time at Temple Newsam. A star piece of the exhibition is a 3D model of the entire estate in the 1700s, built from the original plans of the famous landscape gardener, Capability Brown. Work & Play will cover both the House and beautiful estate to reveal the ways in which the country house was the beating heart of the community providing church, education, charity, old age care and on special occasions – entertainment. A series of special activities and events will also be presented to co-ordinate with the exhibition including 'Living History Days' on Saturday 7 April – Monday 9 April, Saturday 5 May - Monday 7 May and Saturday 26 May – Monday 28 May 2007. History will come to life as characters from Temple Newsam's past, such as Capability Brown and Sarah Herbert, the dairy maid, talk about their involvement with the estate. All welcome. No booking is required.
Work & Play: Life on the Country House Estate runs from Tuesday 3 April – Wednesday 31 October 2007. For visitor information including admission prices, telephone the House on 0113 264 7321 or Estate on 0113 264 5535, or visit the website:
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