Castle Howard

Castle Howard is a stately home in Yorkshire, England, 25 miles (40 km) north of York, one of the very grandest private residences in the country. It is not a true castle: the word is quite often used for country houses in England which were built after the end of the castle-building era (ca. 1500) and were not intending to have any military function. It was built (1699–1712) for the 3rd Earl of Carlisle. Sir John Vanbrugh was commissioned to design the building; since it was that gentleman-dilletante's first foray into architecture, he was assisted in this by Nicholas Hawksmoor. Vanbrugh's west wing was not built. A west wing was built in the mid-18th century in a neoclassical style. In 1940 a large part of the house was destroyed by fire, including the central dome. Most but not all of the devastated rooms have been restored.

Related Topics:
Stately home - Yorkshire - England - York - Castle - Country house - 1699 - 1712 - 3rd Earl of Carlisle - Sir John Vanbrugh - Nicholas Hawksmoor

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Castle Howard has extensive and diverse gardens. There is a large formal garden immediately behind the house. The house is prominently situated on a ridge and this was exploited to create a landscape garden, which opens out from the formal garden and merges with the park. Two major garden buildings are set into this landscape: the Temple of the Four Winds at the end of the garden, and the Mausoleum in the park. There is also a lake on either side of the house. There is an arboretum called Ray Wood, and the walled garden contains decorative rose and flower gardens.

Related Topics:
Park - Arboretum

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Castle Howard is familiar to television audiences as "Brideshead" in Granada Television's Brideshead Revisited. Today it is part of the Treasure Houses of England heritage group.

Related Topics:
Granada Television - Brideshead Revisited - Treasure Houses of England

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