Castle Howard: The REAL "Brideshead Castle"

Castle Howard dates back to the 17th century and was designed by Sir John Vanburgh for the 3rd Earl of Carlisle. Previously, this land was the site of the ruined Henderskelfe Castle, which had come to the Howard family in the 16th century through marriage. At one point, the estate included 13,000 acres and included to villages of: Welburn, Bulmer, Slingsby, Terrington, and Coneysthorpe. In 1952, the owner of the Castle Howard, George Howard (Baron Howard of Henderskelfe), opened the house to the public. It is currently owned by his son, the Honorable Simon Howard. (All of this information was taken from wikipedia). 

One of the main highlights of our countryside adventures was visiting the breathtakingly stunning and famous Castle Howard. I was excited to visit Castle Howard because I had heard it was beautiful, but my mother was SUPER excited to visit Castle Howard because one of her favorite shows was filmed here! Have you guessed what was filmed here? Does it look familiar? No? Well, Castle Howard may be known to some of you as Brideshead Castle from the Evelyn Waugh novel, Brideshead Revisted. Yes, Castle Howard was used as Brideshead Castle in the 1981 TV adaptation starring Jeremy Irons and it later reprised it's role in the 2008 film version of Brideshead Revisited. (If you want to see Castle Howard in action, click here to see the film trailer for the 2008 version of Brideshead Revisited.) How exciting! 

"Brideshead Revisited" (1981)

from left to right:

Jeremy Irons as Charles Ryder

Diana Quick as Julia Flyte

Anthony Andrews as Sebastian Flyte

"Brideshead Revisited" (2008)

from left to right:

Matthew Goode as Charles Ryder

Hayley Atwell as Julia Flyte

Ben Whishaw as Sebastian Flyte

Emma Thompson as Lady Marchmain

I will admit, I have neither read nor seen Brideshead Revisted, so this connection was a bit lost on me, but my mother was so so so excited! Since coming home, I have decided to watch the Jeremy Irons version. (Not sure when I'll get around to reading the book). 

Well, before we jump into the house, we must start with the gardens. I have never seen a garden like this before. Not only was the garden extensive, running acres upon acres, it was really and truly stunning! From design to plant selection to color scheme, except for a botanical garden, I've never seen a private garden like this before! As my parents and I walked the grounds, we swam in a sea of pink, white, purple, red, green, blue, magenta, gold…pretty much any color you can think of. There was so much to see and the garden smelled so sweet! Also, there was a fairly sizable vegetable and fruit garden, too!

After almost an hour in the garden, it was time to make our way to the main house...

Walking along the narrow dirt road leading from the garden to the famous fountain, you get previews of Castle Howard through the trees. As you approach and you see more of Castle Howard, your breath gets taken away. It really is a magnificent house. 

Castle Howard and the famous fountain

We spent a fair amount of time by the fountain having another family photo shoot. We each took turns in front of the fountains, we tried to take artsy shots that included the fountain and the house, and we also staged a family picture in front of Castle Howard. (Perfect for the Christmas card!) Once the cameras were put away, we made our way to the entrance.

The entrance of Castle Howard

The inside of Castle Howard is just as splendid as the outside! Since this is still a private residence, there was limited access to the rooms, but still, there was plenty to see.

Hall of statues

Amazing fire place

I learned during the tour that one of Castle Howard's most distinctive features is it's dome. This dome is not only a major architectural feat, but it's also a masterpiece. The dome, located in the great hall, was painted by Antonio Pellegrini and depicts the Fall of Phaeton. Unfortunately, in November of 1940, a fire broke out in the house and the original dome was destroyed. The dome was successfully rebuilt and replicated in the 1960s. 

So stunning!

A view of the fountain from the upstairs

There wasn't a lot to see upstairs and we were also running out of time, but that didn't stop us from exploring. In a selection of adjoining upstairs rooms, there was a mini exhibit dedicated to the Brideshead Revisited franchise. The exhibit discussed the nature of filming at Castle Howard, the changes that were made to the site to accommodate the film, as well as candid photographs of filming. It was very interesting! As we walked through the exhibit, my mother was beaming, adding her own commentary to each picture and/or description. I always knew she loved the 1981 Brideshead Revisited, but it wasn't until we arrived at Castle Howard that I learned just how much she loves this manor and that miniseries! 

During my many visits to England, and even other European countries, I have toured many country estates, but I must confess, Castle Howard is probably one of my favorite houses. There is something magical about this place. Sure, maybe it's because it has been used on screen and has an alternative identity, like Highclere Castle (aka Downton Abbey), but I've never seen Brideshead Revisited, so that can't be it. I think I fell in love with the architecture and ambience of this grand country estate. It's huge, but at the same time, it feels somewhat homey. I can't quite articulate the warm feeling I get when I think about Castle Howard, but what I can tell you is that when I look at my pictures, I'm still blown away by it's beauty and elegance. 

I had such fun exploring Castle Howard and I really hope I get a chance to visit there once again, especially after watching Brideshead Revisited!