Castle Howard – Yorkshires Brideshead Revisited

Located in York, northern England, is Castle Howard. Despite its name, it is not a traditional castle. Castles are fortified structures to defend against attacks, but the term “castle” is often part of an English estate home’s name. Likewise, the term castle is standard when a building sits on a prior castle site.  Castle Howard is a stately home. Furthermore, a stately home is an English phrase for a large and fine house occupied or formerly occupied by an aristocratic family.

There are approximately 3,000 stately homes in England. Of the 3,000, most are privately owned. Three hundred are maintained by the National Trust, an organization founded in 1895 to promote public access to historic or architectural interest buildings and the land of natural beauty.

The Howard Family privately owns Castle Howard.  Castle Howard is one of England’s largest private stately homes, Brideshead Revisited’s film location, and is open to the public.

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The Family History Of Castle Howard

The Howard family is a famous English family with a long lineage.

William Howard is the founding member.  Howard’s family acquired the duchy (the territory of a duke or duchess; a dukedom) of Norfolk through Robert Howard’s marriage with Margaret, daughter of Thomas Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk.

Robert and Margaret’s son, John, was appointed The Duke of Norfolk in 1483 but was killed in 1845 at the Battle of Bosworth Field, fighting for Richard III.

Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, served in King Henry VII’s court as councilor and military commander.  His son, Thomas Howard, the 3rd Duke, continued as his father did under Henry VIII. King Henry, infamous for multiple wives, married Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, Thomas’s nieces.

The execution of Catherine leads to accusations of treason for Norfolk and his son, Henry Howard. Consequently, a series of tragedies and deaths ensued. As a result, it was not until 1660 that the Howards regained the Duke of Norfolk’s title.

Castle Howard sits on the former location of the ruined Henderskelfe Castle. Construction started in 1699; however, it took almost a hundred years to build under three Howard Earls.

The House 

Charles Howard, The 3rd Earl of Carlisle, commissioned John Vanbrugh to design Castle Howard. The 3rd Earl of Carlisle was the great-grandson of Lord William Howard – the youngest son of Thomas Howard. Duke of Norfolk. Charles Howard, the 1st Earl of Carlisle, took possession as part of his wife, Elizabeth Dacre’s inheritance. Both Charles Howard and John Vanbrugh died before the completion.  Carlisle’s son-in-law, Sir Thomas Robinson, continued the project, and  Charles Heathcote Tatham completed it in 1811.

The design set out to be Baroque, a theme common with the times. However, when Sir Thomas Robinson took over the building, he toned down many original plans and added new elements.

The house has two symmetrical wings that protrude on both sides. The iconic gold dome is a late addition. The gold dome took shape in the final stages while the central block was built. While a late addition, the gold dome is a focal point internally and externally.

The enormous house and estate boast approximately 8,800 acres and 145 rooms. Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini decorated many of the rooms inside Castle Howard.

Note: While open to the public, not all rooms are on display and the Howards still live in Castle Howard.

Touring Castle Howard

When you visit Castle Howard, you can take a self-guided tour or explore at your leisure. Likewise, you can take one of many guided tours.

Self Guided Tours

There are two self-guided tickets:

• House & Gardens Ticket
• Gardens Ticket Only

If you visit Castle Howard for the first time, you must do both the house and the gardens to appreciate the entire estate. The garden option is excellent for those who have seen the house and want to bask in the expansive manicured gardens.

Guided Tours

Choose from any of the following or enquire about a particular area of interest; additional charges apply:

The Gardens And Monuments

Castle Howard has vast gardens that span miles. There are formal gardens, lakes, walled gardens, and various temples and monuments enriched with wildlife. For example, it’s not uncommon to see peacocks on the estate. The gardens are ceremoniously listed as Grade I on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. The diverse landscape at Castle Howard is so unique that it needs protection. The estate has several kinds of wildlife, ranging from badgers to bats to rare flora and fungi.

The Main Garden 

As with most estates on this scale, a formal garden in the front can be viewed from the main house, symmetrically placed with the Atlas Fountain as the masterpiece.

The Atlas Fountain

William Andrews Nesfield is the Atlas Fountain and pond designer; the sculpted figures are John Thomas’s work.

Four Winds Temple 

Beautiful as this structure is, it does not have a formal purpose; it simply adds to the view.

The Mausoleum

One of the most famous monuments is the mausoleum. The mausoleum is the private burial place of the Howard family. Located almost a mile away from the main house, it is not accessible to the public. You can see the mausoleum from the waterfall at Temple Basin.

Walled Garden

The Walled Garden includes a rose garden,  manicured borders, an ornamental vegetable patch, and pretty summer blooms, which are the perfect place to relax and discover a stunning collection.

Woodland Garden

This garden houses a collection of plants worldwide with over 800 species of rhododendrons, magnolias, maples, and rowans.

Additional Things To Do

Skelf Island

Skelf Island is a new adventure playground in Castle Howard. Perfect for children, Skelf Island offers children the opportunity to explore the treetop adventure across the Great Lake’s dormant water.

Staying At Castle Howard

One day is not enough at Castle Howard. Therefore, the estate has various options for you to stay on-site:

• Holiday Cottages
• Lakeside Holiday Park
• Camping & Caravan Park

Note: You cannot stay inside Castle Howard, rather on the grounds.

FAQs

Closing Thoughts

I have visited Castle Howard many times. As a child, we used to visit frequently. As an adult, I spent time here with my mother as she battled cancer. When you arrive at Castle Howard, you feel like you have transcended into a world long gone. A world that is excessive, overt, and opulent. Yet, it is oozing romance. You can feel it in the air as you walk around.

When you are inside the house and look at the formal gardens and the Atlas Fountain, you can’t help but wish you grew up here or could move in! Finally, as you walk through the gardens, you will be left with a new appreciation for the formal gardens famous for the 1870s.

Looking For More Castles and Estates To Visit? Start Here:

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