Castle Howard

An amazing building and grounds which I have visited many times over the years. The last few to see the wonderful Christmas displays starting with Peter Pan, then Alice in Wonderland and this year The Wizard of Oz. The colours and details in every room are amazing and the Christmas tree spectacular. This year I had mobility issues following surgery and there were wheelchairs that you can borrow and a stairlift to get you to the floor where all the displays are. The staff were all very friendly and helpful. Only one disabled/baby change toilet in the house so there was a bit of a queue. Stairs down to all the other toilets. There are more in the courtyard entrance. There is a marquee attached where you can purchase food and a Christmas gift shop. We have eaten here the last 3 years which has been good but have decided to try somewhere else next year. There is also a shop/farm shop in the courtyard and another cafe. The grounds are spectacular too with a great children's playground. There is a little tractor train to get you from the entrance to the lake via the house. Lovely to go in the summer too and spend more time outside.

Came here on a coach excursion to see the Christmas displays in the house, and had a really fabulous time! The long drive along a narrow lane through the snowy Castle Howard estate was a wonderful introduction to our visit. There was ample parking, and a very helpful lady to greet us, point us in the right direction and hand us all a map and leaflet about this year's Christmas events. There was also a land train to take us up to the house and the stable courtyard, where we found a café, toilets, farm shop and garden centre. Had a lovely festive lunch in the marquee café - a creamy turkey and bacon pie with mash, roast carrots and parsnips, followed by a large mince pie and a cup of tea. Quick service and attentive staff despite it being very busy, and a lovely festive atmosphere too. There was a Christmas shop next to the café with lots of pricey but high quality gifts, toys and decorations. Entrance to the house is up a long flight of stairs, but there's a stairlift for anyone with mobility issues. Spectacular all year round with its vast Great Hall, painted dome, and state rooms filled with beautiful furniture and art, Castle Howard had been transformed into a Christmas wonderland. This year's theme is "Wonderful Wizard of Oz", and our immersive self guided tour took us on a fantastic journey through rooms filled with animated installations, music and sound effects, and beautiful trees and decorations, meeting Dorothy and all the amazing characters she encounters in the land of Oz. There was a warm log fire in the Great Hall, and friendly, enthusiastic guides all along our route who chatted to us and shared their knowledge. The tour ended in the peaceful (and very ornate) chapel. Afterwards I enjoyed a lovely cake and a hot chocolate with Baileys, followed by a stroll in the garden with its impressive (and frozen) Atlas Fountain. I've been to a few Christmas displays at Castle Howard over the years, and I'd say this one is the best so far! A magical experience and a great day out for children and adults alike!

Great castle and surrounding gardens! BUT: DON‘T GO THERE AROUND CHRISTMAS! This historic place was turned into a Disneyland-like Xmas show, we really disliked. Happy to pay the steep £39/person entrance, but not for this! We left disappointed…

My family visited Howard Castle 2 times during Xmas in 2023 and 2025. Highly recommended, especially for family with children. They decorated the main house with different themes in different years. Magical world! Your kids will meet Santa, lovely! Foods and drinks are good, especially the Afternoon tea. Clean and spacious! A good place to take a stroll and immerse yourself in nature!

Beautiful gardens and forest. The walled garden is one of the best around. The audio house tour is highly recommended. One can easily spend a day wandering the grounds and forest trails. Excellent farm and garden shop, and a children's play area that makes adults want to join. Excellent cafe. All in all, a wonderful place to wander alone, or for a day out with the entire family.

My second visit after many years. Such a lovely historic building with volunteer staff to tell you about the family, the paintings, and just a wonderful experience all round. The gardens are huge but very well tended. If I get to Yorkshire again it will definitely get another visit. We had lunch there too. Very good food with help yourself to salad stuff. We had the cheese filled jacket potatoes with salad and homemade coleslaw. Too full for sweet but they looked amazing.

A truly wonderful place, worth paying for both the house and gardens ticket if it’s a sunny day and the little boat trip was fun too. Stunning architecture and inside the house is visually impressive too. The gardens are also worth a walk around too, especially with the flowers in bloom. Delicious salad and cakes at the cafe too.

Came here to take part in 10k run, so had a lovely opportunity to run all the way round the gardens, and then have a further potter around in the walled garden afterwards, and nip to the cafe, and a peek into the big House itself. The gardens are magnificent, very natural, Capability Brown style. You could certainly imagine two Austen characters galloping across the grounds, laughing as they did so in the warming sun. At least that’s how it felt in October. Would have liked to look more round the house, but in terms of the gardens, and its peacocks, it’s quite superb, and a worthy afternoon out to enjoy it.

Came here to enjoy the gardens and the grounds. This time around we didn't visit the Castles rooms, but surely will next time we have a chance to. Although building work began in 1699, the construction of Castle Howard took over 100 years to complete. On the morning of 9th November 1940, fire broke out at Castle Howard. There was a lot of rebuild to be done, as time and money permit, the gradual task of restoring the fire-damaged section continues, and in 1994-5 the Central Block was re-roofed. The estate, gardens and grounds are massive. As is the castle itself. Impressive to see. The gardens and walled garden are really enjoyable, so many plants and flowers. We spent a lot of time in there. It's peaceful, quiet, beautiful. The atlas fountain is a sight to behold. Amazing. We did picnic in the woodland area, with a nice view of both the castle and the fountain. It was nice just to sit there and to take in the scenery. Later on we enjoyed a stroll around the South Lake. A nice little walk. Enjoyed the lakeviews there and just sat down to enjoy the moment. There are countless sights and trails. You can spend easily a day here. Even more if you plan to go inside the castle. There's so much to see, to learn, to enjoy. Staff is very nice and helpful. Even though there are quite some visitors, it never feels crowded. It felt relaxed and quiet outside on the grounds. In the gardens as well. There's a really nice shop at the entrance with lots of wonderful farmer products. Sweets, cakes, cheese, meat. And a lot more. Dogs are allowed as well in the outside areas. Our Bulldog had a great time. A really wonderful visit. And definitely a place to come back to the next time we're in the UK. Loved it.

What a beautiful estate! We first started with a drink at the cafe and then headed to the Gardens. Beautiful hedges and a lovely walk meandering throughout the gardens. Beautiful flowers, plants, and even vegetables with statues, a fountain. and the gardener's house. The Atlas Fountain and grounds are extraordinary. The Interior of the house is fascinating and there are people stationed throughout to help answer any questions and shed a little light on what you are seeing. It was quite an enjoyable afternoon. We stopped for lunch and had the famous sausage roll which was yummy as were the quiches and sweets. There's a few gift shops and a market.

Castle Howard is one of the most magnificent castle homes in Britain. It certainly ranks well up in the top ten across the UK and Ireland. The castle, it's contents and the gardens are all original and beautiful. This home is not a part of British Heritage or the National Trust and admission prices are steep, but well worth it. Inside are huge rooms featuring the original contents from 300 years ago, plus Howard family portraits. There are no portraits of Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's fifth wife, since she lived and died 200 years before the castle was built. A devastating fire in 1940 (electrical, not German bombs) destroyed much of the home and it has now been carefully rebuilt. An entire room is dedicated to that fire. Looking out the upstairs window reminded me of the Palace of Versailles with its wide lawns and closely trimmed boxwood hedges. You can wander around a huge walled garden, dine in one of two tea rooms, shop in the gift shop, or buy local fruits and vegetables from the farm store. Everything can get extremely busy when the tour buses arrive.

Great tour. Lots of historical info and interesting things. Glad I did it. Also glad there was no exam at the end.

What a wonderful day trip! We headed here from Doncaster, South Yorkshire for a day trip and hoped we'd find something to do. Well, we had a wonderful time! Castle Howard is a grand estate consisting of numerous buildings. We were there on a beautiful, sunny March day. The grounds were almost empty save a few visitors. We spent a little time in the first courtyard at the glass sculpture shop and then headed into the Castle area. The stately home is gorgeous. We took a self guided tour of the home and then walked outside to view the gardens and grounds. We were lucky to have beautiful weather (take a look at my posted photos). There were yellow daffodils everywhere! We walked up to the temple of the four winds and got an amazing view of a distant mausoleum. We had lunch in the cafe at the bottom of the home. The food was surprisingly good. I was a little worried at the lack of selection, but we liked what we had. There is a fair amount of walking, so bring your trainers. The very nice staff got a wheelchair for my elderly mother-in-law to use throughout the home and the grounds (at no charge). Everyone was very courteous and helpful. We asked questions of the volunteers throughout the home and they did they absolute best to our my questions. On our way out, we visited the farm house store. There is an absolutely lovely selection of sweets and other kitchen items. We purchased an oil, vinegar, and sea salt mixture for my father. He says it is delicious and uses it all the time. There was a small shop selling chocolates on the way out and we bought some very cute Easter candies for a friend in the states. I would highly recommend this as a day trip from anywhere in Great Britain. It certainly is worth your time. It seems much easier to get to if you have a car. This place does everything 5 star!

15 miles east of York on the A64. Lovely house and grounds, worth the trip. Most of grounds and gardens are open to the public. The Temple of the Four Winds is haunting. Lots of artwork, they allow photos without flash. Vendors in courtyard with food and souvenirs. Love the Atlas Fountain, South Front, and Great Hall. The family is in residence.

Construction of Castle Howard began circa 1699 and it took more than one hundred years to complete. Best known as the setting for the late-1970s television miniseries and the 2008 film "Brideshead Revisited," it attracts only 200,000 visitors per year, probably due to its somewhat remote location. From London you can take British Rail to Malton and then either a cab (£10 one way) or the Castle Howard Shuttle Service, which departs from the bus depot opposite the railway station. Purchase of a House and Gardens ticket for £11.00 gives you access to the main building, four exhibitions, outdoor guided tours, a boat trip on the lake, a children's playground, six shops, and three cafés. Alternatively, from York you can take a full-day tour that includes a four-hour stop at Castle Howard offered by the York Pullman Bus Company (see http://www.yorkpullmanbus.co.uk/TourDescription.aspx?ID=1&WebItem=2 for details). The house and 1000 acres of landscaped gardens are magnificent, and there are extensive collections of artwork, porcelain, and sculpture to be seen. You really need several hours to do everything justice. If it's a warm sunny day, I recommend you have either lunch or traditional tea on the patio of the Courtyard Café, which specializes in seasonal ingredients and features favorites like beef and ale pie, sausages with onion mash, Yorkshire pudding with gravy, and sticky toffee pudding. If you have a sweet tooth be sure to visit the chocolate shop, where you can buy mouthwatering locally handmade candy. Locals might want to take advantage of the Farm Shop, which has butcher, seafood, and deli counters selling local meat, fish, and regional cheeses, plus freshly baked breads and cakes, preserves, seasonal fruit and vegetables, speciality teas and coffees, and wine and beer. There's also a shop selling books covering a wide variety of interests, including local history, gardening, travel, cooking, and crafts. Personally, I feel Castle Howard is worth a trek from London and a definite must-see if you already are in North Yorkshire.

After a long drive, we arrived at 3:04. There was a sign posted that stated the last entrance to the castle was at 3:00 due to a wedding. Nothing was posted on the web site about closing early. I explained that we drove a long way and asked if we could go inside since we were only 4 minutes late and there was nothing on the web site about it. I was told "absolutely not." Obviously, they have an absolute disregard for their visitors. Bah!

This is a really wonderful house to spend a day out There are vast gardens with some wonderful flowers there are woods and many sculptures we took a tour of the grounds to learn more The house has many wonderful rooms open to the public full of fantastic paintings My fav is the wonderful chapel You can take a carriage ride up to one of the places where they used to take tea There is a lovely b & b nearby for early morning access There is a book shop. farm shop, garden shop shop chocolate shop and a gift shop so plenty to choose from There are also several places to eat

Stunning mansion, a great day out to be had at Castle Howard. Of the many British castles/mansions I've visited to far, Castle Howard is the most beautiful. You can enjoy a great day out there: Not just in the house, but also in the vast park area surrounding the main building, with pleasant lakes to stroll along. The inside of Castle Howard is very well preserved and definitely worth the modest asking price (You can even take photos). The Howard family, who are *not* members of the royalty, still live there. But to make ends meet, they allow visitors for 10 out of 12 months of the year. The mansion is located in the middle of nowhere in Yorkshire, so you need to get there either by car or by bus (from Leeds e.g. it's a 1-hour bus ride, no changes - but only 3 times a day!). The area is vast, you can take a walk for hours. Once you're done with the inside you can while away the waiting period for the next bus at the nice little café and have a scone. What Wikipedia says about Castle Howard: "Building of Castle Howard began in 1699 and took over 100 years to complete to a design by Sir John Vanbrugh for the 3rd Earl of Carlisle. The site was that of the ruined Henderskelfe Castle, which had come into the Howard family in 1566 through the marriage to Lord Dacre's widow of Thomas, 4th Duke of Norfolk. The house is surrounded by a large estate which, at the time of the 7th Earl of Carlisle, covered over 13,000 acres (5,300 ha) and included the villages of Welburn, Bulmer, Slingsby, Terrington and Coneysthorpe. The estate was served by its own railway station, Castle Howard, from 1845 to the 1950s. After the death of the 9th Earl in 1911, Castle Howard was inherited by his younger son Geoffrey, with later earls having Naworth Castle as their northern country house. In 1952, the house was opened to the public by the then owner, George Howard, Baron Howard of Henderskelfe. It is currently owned by his son, the Honourable Simon Howard, who grew up at the castle. In 2003, the grounds were excavated over three days by Channel 4's Time Team, searching for evidence of a local village lost to allow for the landscaping of the estate." See my photos.

Castle Howard is in my opinion one of North Yorkshires top attractions. On a summers day the view of castle Howard from the approaching road is breathtaking, not to mention familiar as it has been used as a back drop for a number of films including my daughters favourite Garfield 2! There is always ample parking and the price to get in is reasonable. There is a small shop selling local produce and a cafe selling some yummy treats. I always take a picnic though and wonder down to the lake and eat there. The house itself is amazing inside, cordoned ropes take you round a tour of the house and each time I've been there, there have been experts on hand to tell you more about the history of each room. It really is a wonderful day out for people of all ages!

Came here for a wedding. Amazing venue! If I had to get married again, I would do it here. You can visit the castle as a normal tourist (although do call or check their website to see if its closed for a wedding). Has a great combination of lovely grounds, a lake, awesome architecture, and lots of artwork and statues, some dating from the first century AD.

Lovely house and gardens, need a good few hours to see both. Obviously famous for being 'Brideshead' but even if you've never heard of it then take time out for a visit. Lovely food available and it's no more expensive than any other cafe, great adventure playground for the kids, gift shops and nature trails.the place is huge!!! There are tours and a train that you can hop on to take you to various parts of the estate. The family live in part of the house and the twins were playing out in the gardens on our visit. An annual ticket is available which we're considering as they have many events over the year.it's a lovely place with a really homely feel.

This is a very beautiful place there`s a big garden drive up to the building and a fantastic fountain in the of the grounds very picturesque there`s also peacocks wandering around and there very friendly its also the place where brideshead revisited was filmed and theres a section upstairs just dedicated to the tv show its a very pretty and interesting place to visit in the sun or rain and is all wheelchair accessable worth a look

A historic house of some repute. Most famously linked with 'Brideshead Revisited', the house is a joy to visit. Lots of gardens to walk, the house itself is marvellous and with four cafes on site you'll have a choice where to eat. There are guided tours, gift shops and plenty of parking. There is admission to either the gardens, house or both.

An interesting private stately home and estate, really quite beautiful, built over several hundred years, Castle Howard is most famous as the place where Brideshead Revisited was shot, first as a TV series in the 1980s and then as the 2008 film. The main house is an architechtural marvel with its central dome and if you venture further afield out into the estate there are the Temple of the Four Winds, the Mausoleum and the Pyramid to view, all really interesting, based on classical architechture. The drive to Castle Howard is pretty impressive in itself, dow the straight Roman road, going through magnificent archways. The gardens are lovely and you can take a mini train around them to ake access to different parts easier. You can see the famous fountain from Brideshead Revisited, which really is magnificent, or you can visit the realtively new rose garden. For those who want to take home something of the Castle Howard gardens there is a garden centre on the estate located in the courtyard. Also in the courtyard is a farm shop, book shop, chocolate shop, a cafe and a tearooms located in the plant centre. The estate is also home to an adventure playground to keep children amused all day long. Castle Howard has special events on all through the year, a special event at the moment being the chance to see a room that was made into the film set of Brideshead Revisited, the room where Lord Marchmin dies. The chance to see the house at Christmas is always special.

A very beautiful historic building and a nice relaxing day out. The building itself is very beautiful and walking around it you see many interesting pieces. The gardens are very large, you can take a mini train around them to make it a bit easier. There are also some nice fountains to see.