Castle Howard

Over het museum

Castle Howard was begun in 1699 for the 3rd Earl of Carlisle. The earl asked his friend, the playwright John Vanbrugh, to design it, and Vanbrugh, who had never built anything before, brought in Nicholas Hawksmoor to help with the practical side. The house was built from east to west and was largely finished on the outside by the 1720s, but neither Vanbrugh nor the earl lived to see it complete. A west wing in a plainer Palladian style was added later by the earl's son-in-law, which gives the house its famously unbalanced look. Work on the interiors ran on until the early 19th century.

On 9 November 1940 a fire swept through the house, destroying rooms and bringing down the central dome. Restoration began in earnest in the 1960s, with the dome rebuilt in 1960 to 1962, and the Garden Hall was rebuilt in 1981 during the filming of the television series Brideshead Revisited. The house has been the Howard family home for more than 300 years.

In April 2025 the estate unveiled a large restoration project, including the recreation of the Tapestry Drawing Room, which had been lost in the fire, and a complete rehang of the art collection. The grounds include lakes, temples, a walled garden, a woodland garden and an arboretum across the road.

Hoogtepunten

• Baroque house by Vanbrugh and Hawksmoor
• Restored Tapestry Drawing Room and rehung art collection
• Great Hall, Long Gallery and chapel
• Gardens with lakes, temples and statues
• Skelf Island Adventure Playground

Vaste collectie

• The House – A self-guided route through the grand galleries, bedrooms and state rooms, with art and sculpture collected by nine generations of the Howard family.
• Tapestry Drawing Room – A room destroyed in the 1940 fire and recreated as part of the restoration project completed in 2025.

Opgericht

1699

Beheerder

Castle Howard Estate Ltd

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

The House and Gardens ticket includes a self-guided tour of the House, the Grounds, Skelf Island Adventure Playground, shops and cafes; a Gardens ticket covers everything except the House. Tickets bought online are cheaper than at the ticket office, and prices vary by date, with some days offering a discount on child and family tickets. Concession tickets are not offered for over 60s or Blue Light card holders. The Art Fund National Art Pass gives 50% off House and Grounds admission, and the Yorkshire's Great Houses, Castles and Gardens pass gives free entry for two adults and up to three children. York Pass and Visit York VIP holders can enter on arrival. Historic Houses membership is not accepted. Guests of the estate's holiday cottages get a free visit. On-site outlets are cashless.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift: geen informatie
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

A stair lift takes wheelchair users under 225kg to the main floor of the House and most rooms, though access to the High South and the Chapel is restricted. Manual wheelchairs can be borrowed without booking, and one off-road tramper per group can be booked in advance. A free Kelly Car land train carries visitors, including wheelchair users and pushchairs, from the ticket office to the House and Boathouse Café. There is a hearing loop at the ticket office, adapted toilets in the Courtyard, House and Boathouse Café, and a quiet space inside the House entrance. Free parking has designated Blue Badge bays at the front of the car park. Assistance dogs are welcome in the House, grounds, shops and cafes. Detailed access guides are published for each area.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Kinderwagenvriendelijk: niet aanwezig
• Verschoonruimte
• Speeltuin / speelhoek

Skelf Island Adventure Playground is included in a Gardens ticket and is open daily. Family events are held in the school holidays. Pushchairs are not allowed in the House but can be left in a holding area at the entrance, and hip-seats can be borrowed for children aged 6 months to 3 years. Baby changing is available in the House, Boathouse and Courtyard toilets. The Boathouse Café has a children's menu. Bikes and scooters are not allowed in the grounds, except balance bikes for children under 5.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

Castle Howard is 15 miles north-east of York, signed from the A64. Vehicles over 3.43m high or 2.60m wide cannot use the approach road from the A64 east of York; they should continue to Malton and approach via Coneysthorpe. Electric vehicle charging points are available.

Service & horeca

• Café
• Museumwinkel

Fitzroy Café, Courtyard Café, Boathouse Café and Kitchen, and a coffee shop; also a farm shop, a garden centre, gift shops and a tree nursery. On-site outlets accept cards only.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur
• Privéfeesten
• Zakelijke evenementen
• Bruiloften / trouwceremonies

The House and Grounds can occasionally be hired exclusively, for anything from a private dinner for eight to weddings and parties for hundreds of guests; a board meeting for 14 people is also possible.

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