Raby Castle
Today, Raby is the seat of the 12th Lord and Lady Barnard and the Vane family. It is home to an impressive range of art, textiles and furniture from across the globe, dating from the 17th to the 21st Century.
Raby
The name ‘Raby’ is thought to date from the early 11th century, when the Dane King Canute sat on the English throne. It is not clear what kind of dwelling stood here before the mighty Neville family were given a license to fortify in the 14th century, but it was then that Raby Castle was completed much in the form we know today.
The Nevilles
From their powerhouse at Raby, the Nevilles were among the most influential families in the country, with vast lands, multiple castles and holdings, and direct links to the Crown. The castle was at one time home to Cecily Neville, the ‘Rose of Raby’ and mother of two Kings.
This all came to an end in 1569 when Charles Neville took part in The Rising of the North – an attempt to replace Queen Elizabeth I with her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots. Charles was forced to flee into exile and the extensive Neville lands were seized by the Crown.
The Vanes
In 1626, Sir Henry Vane the Elder, Member of Parliament and important figure in Charles I’s household, purchased Raby from the Crown.
Since then, Raby Castle has survived Civil Wars and family feuds, and has been home to generations of Barons, Earls and Dukes who entertained royalty, encouraged political reform and laid the foundations for today’s landscape at Raby.