Rokeby Park of Venus by Diego Velázquez, now known in English as The Rokeby Venus. The original now hangs in the National Gallery, London and a copy hangs in the saloon at Rokeby Park. Sir Walter Scott was a regular visitor to the house, and used it as the setting to his epic poem "Rokeby" in 1812. The building is also of interest in its own right. Completed in 1735 (and known at the time as Rokeby Hall) by Sir Thomas Robinson, it is considered a fine example of the italianate Palladian style. Robinson owned it until 1769, when he sold it
William Rokeby rules for admission to the clergy. Rather comically, Rokeby strictly forbade clergymen to play football. By 1521 his health was failing: he retired to Kirk Sandall and died there on 29 November. Rokeby made elaborate provision in his will for the disposal of his remains: he asked that his body should be buried in Halifax, but that his heart should be buried in St Oswald's Church, Kirk Sandall, and that mortuary chapels be erected at both spots. The Rokeby chapels in St Oswald's and Halifax Minster still exist. O'Flanagan praises Rokeby as a good man, a good bishop and, so