HOPE & GLORY AT THE HALL

Will Langton has taken on an impressive property project with a namesake grand design

- Bethan Hyatt

It is the late Georgian era in Yorkshire and the Industrial Revolution is in full swing. Societal change abounds, and an enterprising heiress by the name of Anne Lister is determined to return her ancestral home, Shibden Hall, to its former glory. Fast forward almost two centuries to one of Anne’s old stomping grounds, Langton Hall, and you will find an equally forward-thinking landowner, Charles William Langton, known as Will.

Immortalized in the BBC drama Gentleman Jack, Anne Lister (played by Suranne Jones) is just one of the connections that fascinated Will when he learnt Langton, near Malton, was for sale in January 2019. It had been the seat of the Norcliffe family (Anne was romantically involved with Isabella Norcliffe) before being leased to Woodleigh, an independent preparatory school, from 1946 until 2012, after which it lay derelict. Despite having been the custodian of the property for such a short time, developer Will has already overseen a remarkable transformation which Ms Lister would be proud of.

He had not been in the market for a new home; he was happily settled at Albert House in Leeds (which is now for sale), with several other properties in the area and overseas. But as soon as he saw the advert for Langton, he knew he was interested.

‘I did a quick back-of-an-envelope calculation and worked out I could (just) afford to buy it and get it back up and running as a home,’ he says. ‘Basically, I had enough money and nothing better to spend it on. The fact I shared a name with the house was just a coincidence!’

His plans for the restoration of the Grade II-listed hall, parts of which date to 1738, were granted mercifully quickly. ‘Emma Woodland at Ryedale District Council immediately understood the programme of works needed.