Castle Howard

Castle Howard is an 18th century Baroque stately home in North Yorkshire, one of the grandest and most over the top in England, with 145 rooms and set in 1,000 acres of gardens and parkland. It is owned by the Howard family, and has been for over 300 years. The house was started for the 3rd Earl of Carlisle in 1699, designed by John Vanbrugh (his first commission) and Nicholas Hawksmoor, and took about 100 years to complete. There is nothing particularly remarkable about Castle Howard’s story – it simply oozes wealth and privilege and is famous for being famous. Built on the site of a ruined medieval castle, the original estate covered 13,000 acres – which included several villages. In addition to being able to tour the house and gardens, visitors can enjoy various exhibitions, and activities take place frequently. You can have a grand day out at Castle Howard – which was famously used for the 1980s TV series and 2008 film, Brideshead Revisited. Don’t miss the Atlas Fountain.