Almost 800 years ago, noblemen, knights and barons were riding through the same fields and forests that now line our roads and houses. The Hall has played host to many dignitaries over the last millennium and in particular people of high profile and immense power.

The earliest family to live at Wynyard were the de Chapell’s or de Capella’s who were tenants of the Estate and owned by the Crown in 1237. Over the next 500 years, possession of Wynyard passed to numerous different owners until 1742 when John Tempest bought the Estate for £8,000 (quite a contrast to today’s sale price which is in the region of £8m).

Eventually, Sir Henry Vane-Tempest who was at the time, M.P. for City of Durham, inherited the Estate. He was well respected, handsome, young and rich. However, he was a heavy drinker, a born gambler and lacked self-respect and discipline.

In 1799 he married the Countess of Antrim, Anne Catherine and they had a daughter, Frances Anne. Anne Catherine was disappointed of not having a boy and she never grew close to her daughter. However, Sir Henry adored the little girl and although he was absent for long periods of time taking his seat at the House of Commons, he frequently wrote long loving letters to her. However, Sir Henry’s heavy drinking paid its toll on his health and at the age of 42 years, he died leaving the entire estate to his 13-year-old daughter, Frances Anne Vane-Tempest.

The Estate was kept in trust until she married Lord Charles Stewart in 1819, she was 19 years old and he was 40 years old. Charles Stewart was the one of the sons of the First Marquis of Londonderry who tragically died in 1821 and passed the Marquessate to his elder son, Robert Stewart.