I was first drawn into Amabel Lindsay’s sphere after marrying one of her many Scottish cousins in the early 1970’s. When we came South from the Highlands, she would invariably invite us to dinner in her egg yolk yellow dining room; I was captivated by her style and glamour.

Born in 1935, Lady Amabel Yorke was the eldest child of the 9th Earl of Hardwicke and spent a cloudless childhood at Rockley Manor, their charming family house near Marlborough; many days were spent riding through the immersive landscape of the Wiltshire downs with her father, who was joint master of the Tedworth Hunt.

The Influence of the Lindley Women

It was not only this glorious scenery that developed her sense of the aesthetic, a creative gene ran through her mother’s family, the Lindleys. Her mother, Sarah Lindley and Sarah’s three sisters, the daughters of the distinguished diplomat Sir Francis Lindley, all had innate good taste. They were masters at creating the effortless elegance of the “English country house style”, whether they found themselves living in the Home Counties, Scotland, London or Tokyo. Warmth and comfort were of great importance and they achieved a timeless quality in their decoration, as many of their possessions had trickled down through several centuries. Huge bowls of flowers and leaves would adorn every room and their carefully designed gardens were regarded as extra entertaining spaces.

Building Exceptional Homes and Collections

The next generation carried the gene forward; Amabel became a highly regarded decorator and sourcer of antiques; Victoria Waymouth, her eldest sister, a professional interior designer and Rose Yorke, her younger one, a talented specialist painter. In 1955, after school at St Mary’s Ascot and time absorbing French culture in Paris, Amabel married Patrick Lindsay, the dashing second son of the 28th Earl of Crawford, chief of Clan Lindsay. A fearless man of action, who collected historic cars and owned a Spitfire, he was the distinguished head, over several decades, of the Old Master department at Christie’s.

Together, after James their third child was born in 1961, they created two exceptional homes, Folly Farm in Berkshire and no 12 Lansdowne Rd in London, buying broadly and eclectically and accumulating and fine tuning an important collection.

A Shared Passion for Art and Antiques

The cornerstone of their collection were paintings and objects inherited from both their families; Patrick would invariably buy from artists’ studio sales at Christie’s; Amabel kept a careful and comprehensive eye on the auction houses and antique shops. Astute and well informed, she naturally homed in on things of quality and charm, buying adventurously for herself but also for cousins and friends, who recognising her discerning eye, would ask her to source works of art and furniture - something she loved doing – and decorate their houses.

David Mlinaric, a lifelong friend, with whom Amabel did “work experience” in the Sixties, remembers that “she had a rare instinctive ability to choose beautiful things and importantly to recognise their suitability”.

Her decorative schemes invariably involved a rich harmonious palette, vermillion used in the study at Lansdowne Road was a favourite; this vibrant sense of colour was born perhaps from the colours she absorbed on her honeymoon in India.

Layering History, Texture and Art

Specialist painting, the engaging interplay of chintzes, textures, patterns and embroidery, the highlighting of cornices and mouldings became her hallmarks; and she would layer her interiors with an exuberant collection of fine and decorative arts, from all centuries, instinctively assembling and weaving them into her overall aesthetic.

In Lansdowne Rd you would find a 1958 Ivon Hitchens tantalisingly juxtaposed with a framed page of an Andalusian manuscript dating from the 12th century; or an Italian carved white sculpture of a Sleeping Nymph contrasting with a powerful oil painting by Renato Guttuso.

The skill was that, always respectful of the many houses of historical importance that she worked on, the end result never looked professionally decorated but as though it had evolved naturally, through time.

In later years, as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Art and as a director of the Museum of London, mentoring young students became of great interest. She supported and importantly bought from many young artists, including Freya Wood and Sophie Wells and was typically generous with her address book and introductions.

Entertaining at Lansdowne Road

Throughout her married life and the four decades of widowhood that followed, Amabel was the catalyst for, and presided over a lively “salon” in the old-fashioned sense. Unfailingly good fun, her lightness of spirit and irreverent streak made her a natural. A stream of birthday parties, book launches and summer gatherings took place around the 300 year old mulberry tree in her charming garden, often in a selection of multicoloured Indian tents, brought back from her travels.

And in the inclement months, the frequent dinners at the octagonal dining room table were legendary. Close girlfriends, of which there were many, were enfolded into the guest lists; dukes and artists, literary figures, distinguished journalists and film stars, in fact the great and the good of all different ages and nationalities gravitated to her drawing room. And Amabel’s four children, grandchildren and fifteen first cousins were always welcomed. Number 12 Lansdowne Road, with its gate and front door painted in “Rothschild Blue” was one the centres of London life, but more importantly the headquarters of her extended family and a port of call for innumerable friends.

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Auction Details

Tuesday 2 June 2026, 10.30am BST
Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE

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Viewing Information:

Viewing at Dreweatts London (highlights): 16-17 Pall Mall, St James’s, London SW1Y 5LU

• Wednesday 13 May: 10am-4pm
• Thursday 14 May: 10am-4pm
• Friday 15 May: 10am-4pm
• Monday 18 May: 10am-4pm
• Tuesday 19 May: 10am-4pm
• Wednesday 20 May: 10am-7pm
• Thursday 21 May: 10am-4pm

Viewing at Dreweatts Newbury (full sale): Donnington Priory, Newbury RG14 2JE:

• Friday 29 May: 10am-4pm
• Saturday 30 May: 10am-3pm
• Sunday 31 May: 10am-3pm
• Monday 1 June: 10am-4pm

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