VIEW OF SPROTBOROUGH HALL, NEAR DONCASTER, YORKSHIRE, WITH CATTLE AND HERDSMAN ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER DON BEFORE

THE ESTATE OF SPROTBOROUGH, ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER DON, WAS OWNED BY THE FITZWILLIAM FAMILY FROM THE TIME OF THE NORMAN CONQUEST UNTIL THE EARLY 16TH CENTURY WHEN IT PASSED INTO THE COPLEY FAMILY THROUGH THE MARRIAGE OF DOROTHY FITZWILLIAM AND SIR WILLIAM COPLEY. SIR GODFREY COPLEY, 2ND BT. (1653-1709), WAS ELECTED MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR ALDBOROUGH IN 1679, AND THROUGH HIS MARRIAGE TO CATHARINE, DAUGHTER OF JOHN PURCELL, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR MONTGOMERY, AMASSED A CONSIDERABLE FORTUNE. IN 1685, HE VISITED THE ROYAL COURT IN PARIS. ON HIS RETURN TO SPROTBOROUGH. HE DEMOLISHED THE EXISTING HOUSE AND IN 1686 COMMENCED BUILDING SPROTBOROUGH HALL IN A STYLE STRONGLY INFLUENCED BY THE FRENCH ARCHITECTURE OF VERSAILLES. THE HOUSE IN THE PICTURE MUST DATE FROM BETWEN 1686 AND 1699, AS THE TURRETS SHOWN IN KNYFF'S PRINTS OF C.1699-1702 ARE ABSENT, AS IS GEORGE SORROCOLD'S WATER-POWERED DEVICE INSTALLED IN 1703 TO CARRY WATER FROM THE RIVER TO THE HOUSE.