Preston Hall, Preston-on-Tees

The manor of Preston on Tees was held in 1515 by William Sayer but was lost when the estates of Lawrence Sayer, who was a Royalist during the English Civil War, were sequestered and sold by the Commonwealth of England. In 1673 the manor was purchased by George Witham and during the residency of the Witham family the manor house was known as Witham Hall.

Following the failure of a scheme to build housing on the site, the decision was made to transform Preston Hall into a museum and to use the grounds as parkland. The museum opened to the public in 1953. After its redevelopment, Preston Park Museum & Grounds now has four themed galleries, telling the stories of the Hall, the local area and the people who have lived here, as well as showcasing the many treasures held in the collection. This includes the famous Georges de La Tour painting The Dice Players, which is part of the Clephan Bequest. This bequest is at the heart of the museum's collection, together with the outstanding Spence Collection of arms, armour and decorative objects and the…