Bretton Hall Archives
The Bretton Estate (near Wakefield) was built up by the Dronsfield family in the 13th century. It was later owned by the Wentworth family (who built the hall in around 1720) and the Beaumont family from 1792. In 1948 the estate and hall were sold to the West Riding County Council.
In 1949 the WRCC opened Bretton Hall as a teacher-training college, and later the Yorkshire Sculpture Park was opened in the grounds. The college became affiliated to the University of Leeds and eventually merged with the University in 2001.
The college closed in 2007 and the archives were moved to different places. The educational archive went to the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. Lord Allendale's loan collection went to the Yorkshire Archaeological Society and family papers went to Lord Allendale's family seat at Bywell Hall in Northumberland.