Castle Howard

Castle Howard was built  in 1699 and has superb collections of furniture, paintings, porcelain and statues.

Furniture by Chippendale and Sheraton, paintings by Gainsborough, Holbein, Reynolds and Rubens, ancient Greek and Roman statuary and exquisite porcelain and china are all on view inside the house.

Set in over 1,000 acres of  parkland, lawns, woodland gardens, lakes, fountains and magnificent Rose Gardens with collections of old and modern roses.

Visitors enter through a high archway and they find themselves in the cobbled courtyard, where there are, amongst other facilities, the Hayloft Cafe, the Carriage House Shop , a bookshop, a pottery, and a working glassblower's studio.

A land train is available to transport visitors to the main house; otherwise, it is possible to walk the short distance, choosing whether to arrive either at the South Front with its lawns, fountains, and gardens, or at the more austere North Front.

The grounds comprise the Great Lake on the north side with a lakeside cafe and a nearby adventure playground where you can enjoy a boat trip during fine weather in summer, the South Lake, extensive woodlands, and the Rose Gardens.