Among the finest of Yorkshire's stately homes, and indeed one of the best in the country. Restoration after the disastrous fire of 1940 only commenced during the 1950s, and is still ongoing. The home of the Howard family for over 300 years, building began in 1699, and took over 100 years to complete, spanning the lifetimes of three Earls.
It was commissioned by Charles Howard, third Earl of Carlisle with the assistance of his friend, the dramatist John Vanbrugh, who at that time having never built anything before, called upon the architect Nicholas Hawksmoor to assist him with the practicalities. The bulk of the work was done between 1700 and 1710, that included the construction of its most distinctive feature, the central dome. Work continued piecemeal throughout the remainder of the C18 into the C19, and only when the decoration of the Long Gallery by Tatham was finished in 1811, could it be said that the building had been completed.
SE7170 : Magnificent Castle Howard (2)