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Doncaster's elegant Mansion House, is a focus for civic pride, which has dominated the High Street for over two hundred and fifty years. There are only three Civic Mansion Houses in Britain today, the others being York and London.
When the Mansion House was officially opened in April 1749, the total build cost was £8,000 equivalent to around £10 million today. In the 18th century, Doncaster was a very wealthy town, well able to afford these costs. It was built in the Palladian style and was designed by the architect James Paine.
The town's wealth had been created by the stagecoach trade which had made Doncaster a major interchange and overnight stop. Many of the older inns and pubs still have 'coaching arches' as a result of participating in that trade. The Salutation Arms on South Parade and the Crown Hotel at Bawtry are notable examples.
The Mansion House is still used as the Civic headquarters of Doncaster and contains fine examples of memorabilia that has been collected over the years.
The Mansion House is open to all visitors once a year when the Civic Mayor holds an open day in the summer and there are special events, including a carol concert, held during the year. Private group visits to The Mansion House can be arranged on a limited number of days through the Mansion House Manager. |