Celebrating Shandy Hall and Laurence Sterne

Have you ever read The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy? If you have, you won’t want to miss out on the chance to visit the Hall where Laurence Sterne lived and worked on your next trip around Yorkshire.

Shandy Hall is the gorgeous location where Sterne lived and worked while he was writing both Tristram and another of Sterne’s famous works A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy. The Laurence Sterne Trust are based at the Hall and have lots of really interesting information to share with you about the 18th century novelist.

Shandy Hall

Shandy Hall is where Laurence Sterne lived and wrote and on your visit, you can expect to find lots of books, paintings, manuscripts, prints and collectible items loved and used by the author.

You can explore the house and the two acres of beautiful gardens surrounding the building. House tours are conducted at 11:30am and 2:30pm every Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday between May 1st and September 30th, or you can make an appointment for a private tour.

The Shandy Hall Gardens are open from 11am – 4pm Tuesday – Sunday, and Bank Holidays between May 1st – September 30th.

Find out more about visiting the Hall

They have lots of wonderful exhibitions and guest speakers performing at the Hall that you can come along and see. Make sure you take a look at their exhibition and events page.

Image credit: The Laurence Sterne Trust

Who was Laurence Sterne?

Laurence Sterne was an Irish-born English novelist and Anglican clergyman. He was the Vicar in the charming village of Coxwold in North Yorkshire, wrote many sermons and memoirs and was involved with local politics.

He lived a very interesting life, full of travel and celebration. He spent much of his early life in service to the church before becoming a full-time writer at the age of 46. Tristram helped him make his literary fortune and came out in many volumes.

Sterne struggled with illness for many years before the end of his life and he died at the age of 54 in London. His body was buried in the churchyard of St George’s in Hanover Square, but it didn’t stay there for long.

It’s been said that his body was stolen and sold to anatomists at Cambridge University. It’s rumoured that his body was identified and quietly returned to another grave, which makes for a great story, though of course we can’t prove this to be true!

You’ll find out all about the life, works and death of Sterne when you visit the Hall. Have fun, and let us know what you discover!