Visitors to Bilton Hall step back in history!

Bilton Hall Nursing Home, which is part of the We Care Group, situated in Knaresborough, Harrogate, is used to welcoming visitors to the home, as families come to look round when looking for a care home for a loved one, but the home has recently welcomed two visitors wanting to look round for an entirely different reason!

Belinda Smith, who has been researching her family history, discovered a distant cousin, John Atkinson-Jowett, had owned the property in the 1940s. Belinda and her sister, Alison Turner, were keen to visit the home so they could visualise how he must have lived and what life must have been like for him living in such a splendid building.

The sisters were particularly interested to see the stained-glass windows which depict the Atkinson-Jowett family coat of arms, which is a combination of the Atkinson family and the Jowett family which were combined in the 19th Century.

From research Belinda has discovered that John Atkinson-Jowett was born in 1870 and was a gentleman/landowner. Originally he had land in Bradford which he sold and subsequently bought Bilton Hall which is now a Grade II listed building set in over 7 acres of landscaped gardens and mature woodland and was purchased by the We Care Group in 2008.

Belinda Smith said “It was lovely to be able to visit Bilton Hall which once belonged to John Atkinson-Jowett, a cousin of my great grandfather. I remember as a child my granny used to talk about him as cousin John, little did I know that he lived in such a magnificent building.

"It was lovely to see the Atkinson-Jowett coat of arms on the stained-glass window close up and walk round the building following in his footsteps some 80 years later.” She continued “I am writing a book about my family history and the wonderful photos we have been able to take at Bilton Hall will enhance that particular section of the book.”

Piriya Suresparan, Operations Manager at We Care Group said “It was lovely to meet with Belinda and Alison and show them around the home, particularly the original parts of the building and to find out about John Atkinson-Jowett and imagining his lifestyle as a country gentleman with servants.”

She continued “The visit certainly made me appreciate how much history there is in the building and imagine John entertaining in the large lounge area with a big open fire, the grand staircase to the first floor to what would have been the master bedroom and passage ways that the servants must have used to discreetly move about the building. We Care Group have taken care to maintain as many of the existing features as possible for future generations to enjoy.”

“Residents at Bilton Hall certainly thrive in the luxurious environment and enjoy the wonderful views over Knaresborough and Nidd Valley.”

Bilton Hall have recently celebrated Care Home Open Week with an open afternoon and welcomed a number of people from the local community looking for a care home for themselves or a loved one who came and had a look around and they too were delighted to see all that the home can offer. To find out more or to arrange a visit please call the home on 01423 869131

click here for more details or to contact Bilton Hall Nursing Home