Shandy Hall is a

writer's house museum Writers' homes (sometimes writer's, author's or literary houses) are locations where writers lived. Frequently, these homes are preserved as historic house museums and literary tourism destinations, called writer's home museums, especially when t ...

in the former home of the Rev.

Laurence Sterne Laurence Sterne (24 November 1713 – 18 March 1768), was an Anglo-Irish novelist and Anglican cleric who wrote the novels ''The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman'' and '' A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy'', publishe ...

Coxwold Coxwold is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton District of North Yorkshire, England, in the North York Moors, North York Moors National Park. It is 18 miles north of York and is where the Rev. Laurence Sterne wrote ''A Sentimental Jour ...

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by national parks, including most of the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. It is one of four co ...

, England. Sterne lived there from 1760 to 1768 as

perpetual curate Perpetual curate was a class of resident parish priest or incumbent curate within the United Church of England and Ireland (name of the combined Anglican churches of England and Ireland from 1800 to 1871). The term is found in common use mainly du ...

of Coxwold. He is remembered for his novels ''

The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman ''The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman'', also known as ''Tristram Shandy'', is a novel by Laurence Sterne, inspired by '' Don Quixote''. It was published in nine volumes, the first two appearing in 1759, and seven others follow ...

'' and ''

A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy ''A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy'' is a novel by Laurence Sterne, written and first published in 1768, as Sterne was facing death. In 1765, Sterne travelled through France and Italy as far south as Naples, and after returning det ...

''.

Architectural history

Plaque commemorating Laurence Sterne at Shandy Hall

The extant buildings result from three major phases of building: a medieval long hall built for the local priest around 1430; this was extended in the 17th century and then significantly altered by Sterne with the income from his novels. A stone tablet above its doorway states that Sterne wrote ''Tristram Shandy'' and ''A Sentimental Journey'' at Shandy Hall. This is not entirely accurate, for two volumes of ''Tristram Shandy'' had already been published in 1759 before Sterne moved to Coxwold. The house is a

Grade I listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

. It was extended and altered internally for Sterne and subject to restoration in 1960. The Hall is now administered by the Laurence Sterne Trust, a

registered charity A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a ch ...

, and is open to the public. Shandy Hall featured in the 2006 film ''

A Cock and Bull Story ''A Cock and Bull Story'' (marketed in Australia, New Zealand and the United States as ''Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story'') is a 2005 British comedy film directed by Michael Winterbottom. It is a film-within-a-film, featuring Steve Coo ...

'', which was based on Sterne's book ''Tristram Shandy''.

Gallery

File:West entrance of Shandy Hall.jpg, West entrance of Shandy Hall File:The parlour at Shandy Hall.jpg, The

Parlour A parlour (or parlor) is a reception room or public space. In medieval Christian Europe, the "outer parlour" was the room where the monks or nuns conducted business with those outside the monastery and the "inner parlour" was used for necessar ...

File:Plaque commemorating Laurence Sterne at Shandy Hall.JPG, Plaque commemorating the writer

File:Medieval wall painting at Shandy Hall.JPG, Medieval wall paintings behind later wood panelling in Shandy Hall's parlour File:The formal gardens at Shandy Hall.JPG, The

formal gardens Garden design is the art and process of designing and creating plans for layout and planting of gardens and landscapes. Garden design may be done by the garden owner themselves, or by professionals of varying levels of experience and expertise. ...

behind the hall File:Laurence Sternes study at Shandy Hall.jpg, Sterne's study File:Ay oop - Detail from page 76 of Tristram Shandy by Martin Rowson CCWSH-1200P76.jpg, Shandy Hall appearing in a detail of Martin Rowson's

graphic novel A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...

of ''

References

External links

The Laurence Sterne Trust
– official site
TristramShandyWeb
see the section dedicated to Shandy Hall (with images) *{{NHLE , num=1315184 Country houses in North Yorkshire Gardens in North Yorkshire Biographical museums in North Yorkshire Grade I listed buildings in North Yorkshire Historic house museums in North Yorkshire Literary museums in England