THE DRAMATIC entrance to a stately home has been painstakingly restored in a nine month project.

Beningbrough Hall and gardens, near York, has now removed all traces of scaffolding from the northern front of the hall to reveal its newly restored horse head carvings.

The original 300 year old stonework had been carved from local magnesian limestone but had become weather damaged.

The ambitious restoration project involved experts from Cliveden Conservation using photographs from the National Trust archive and black and white images from Country Life magazine to create a clay mould of the head.

It was then carve it in local stone.

The work follows on from last year’s restoration of the south bridge and door at the National Trust property.

For further details of the stages of the project visit the Beningbrough blog; www.beningbrough.blogspot.com