Sledmere is perhaps the gem of the Wolds, that place of gently rolling country and verdant agriculture, where once there was wilderness and until the 17th century wolves. The change from wilderness only fit for sheep to the arable land seen now was largely brought about by the Sykes family, whose ancestral home (still occupied) is Sledmere House. The Sykes family organised the draining of much land, and financed the conversion to more productive agriculture, in keeping with their roots as merchants who had originally prospered in Leeds in Tudor times. Sledmere House is a Georgian structure, foursquare and solidly elegant in keeping with the tastes of those times. It is open to the public at some times of the year, and is certainly worth a visit. Around the house are pleasant gardens and an extensive deer park – there is even a building referred to as the Deer House in the grounds. But within the mansion is its great treasure, a library 100 feet long, full of rare and beautiful volumes. The village itself is particularly lovely, with a planned feel to it in spite of the mix of frontages – redbrick and whitewashed cottages alongside one another, rows of semi-detached houses and terraced cottages showing the village was indeed planned, moved from its original site beside a long-ago drained mere. It is a colourful place too, with wonderful gardens and window boxes throughout, and architectural elements occasionally picked out in paint to enhance the picture for onlookers. The medieval church, St Mary’s, full of excellent carvings by 19th century artist John Barker, is one of the few structures in the village predating the Sykes family occupation of Sledmere. The gothic Sledmere monument, at 120 feet high visible from a good distance, was built to commemorate Sir Tatton Sykes, 4th baronet of that ilk. The war memorial honouring the dead of the Wolds’ Waggoners, a force raised by another Sykes in WWI, is yet another linked site in this estate village. Even the pub is called the Triton Inn, its name reflecting the use of Triton sculptures on the estate.
Pub and Bar
Places to Stay near Sledmere
The Old Mill Hotel & Restaurant (4.80 miles)
A country hotel situated on the Yorkshire Wolds surrounded by open fields and rolling countryside. The hotel has nine luxury en-suite rooms and a restaurant serving meals at lunchtime and evenings.
On a clear day you ... More | visit website
Rose Cottage (6.87 miles)
Fimber Gate Bed and Breakfast (7.12 miles)
A former railway gatekeeper's cottage, this single storey accommodation enjoys rural views of the Yorkshire Wolds. It has recently been extended and fully updated to give a comfortable and relaxing ... More
Kilham Hall (7.96 miles)
In a quiet corner of rural England lies the beautiful and relatively undiscovered Yorkshire Wolds, and here far from the madding crowd you find Kilham Hall in its stunning landscaped ... More
Wold Cottage (8.22 miles)
The Wold Cottage is a working farm of ... More | visit website
Burythorpe House Country House Hotel & Restaurant (8.83 miles)
Burythorpe House, a former gentleman's residence built around 1750, is family owned and managed and stands in a beautiful rural location with wonderful views over the surrounding countryside. It ... More | visit website
Little Manor Cottage at Manor Farm Cottages (9.32 miles)
Click here to book this cottage with Hoseasons
Enjoying delightful countryside views and a peaceful village setting, these two charming cottages have been created from former barns on a non working farm, just 12 miles ... More
White Horse Inn (9.64 miles)
The White Horse is ideally situated for touring the Yorkshire wolds and East Yorkshire coastline. Situated by the village green and duck pond of Hutton Cranswick, 3 miles from the market town of Driffield and ... More | visit website
The Wentworth Arms (9.75 miles)
Located ... More | visit website
Old Lodge Hotel (10.01 miles)
Click for special and substantially discounted rates from Laterooms
Once overshadowed by the Manor House and hidden behind the garden wall, the former Gatehouse has now been sympathetically refurbished to provide an elegant country ... More
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