james armitage (1730–1803) who bought the hall from the danby family was a very prosperous wool merchant in leeds. he was succeeded by his son, edward armitage (1764–1829), who in 1806 built a new driveway and refronted the building to include a grand portico supported by tuscan columns. he also added a new bath house and a large conservatory with adjoining billiard room. edward was born in 1764 in leeds and in 1787 he married sarah leathley (1768–1847). in his will, he left his estate to his widow, sarah for life, and gave her power to determine how it should be apportioned between their four surviving sons. until 1843 she let farnley hall to her husband's nephew, john william rhodes and when she died she established an unusual arrangement by which her four sons were tenants in common of the farnley estate. the sons were william armitage (1798–1883), james armitage (1793–1872), john leathley armitage (1792–1870) and edward armitage (1796–1878).