PEOPLE are invited for a rare opportunity to take in the beautiful surroundings of Knowsley Hall as it opens its doors to the public for a week this October.

The grand stately home of Lord and Lady Derby, which has been a Grade II listed building since 1953, is preparing for its annual open week from Monday, October 10 to Friday 14.

Knowsley Hall is filled with displays of paintings and portraits, furniture and sculpture, dating back to 1495 and the early Tudor period, with splendid Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian interiors.

The tour will feature around 15 rarely seen oil portraits including some of the finest oil paintings from the Derby Collection.

Among the outstanding masterpieces of portraiture produced during the Baroque and Enlightenment periods is The Old Beggarman by Jusepe de Ribera (1591 to 1652), the Neapolitan-based Spaniard.

Also included is The Portrait of a Young Man by Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646 to 1723), the Dutch-trained artist, who worked in England with great success.

Curator of the Derby Collection Dr Stephen Lloyd, said ahead of the opening: “Members of the public can tour the hall for one week a year, and this autumn they have the opportunity to view some of the rarely seen oil portraits.”

“This is a special opportunity for interested visitors and art-lovers, both local and from further afield, to tour and enjoy one of Merseyside’s most historic country houses and we are delighted to welcome everyone here again this autumn.”