The house is renowned for its 18C stuccowork by the Italian Francini, the paintings by William Bell Scott, depicting scenes from Northumbria's history, and the substantial collection of porcelain including many 18C Chinese and Japanese pieces, as well as pieces from Bow and Chelsea. The Chinese garden by the lake, the walled garden and the promenade along the Wansbeck, spanned by the bridge designed by James Paine, bear witness to the vivid and ambitious imagination of the Fenwick family.