Prep Time  30 min | Cook Time  8hours | Serves  4

 

Ingredients

1kg Venison on Bone

75g Plain Flour

1/2 teaspoon Salt

¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

2 tablespoons Oil

1 Chopped Onion

2 Chopped Carrot

2 Chopped Celery Stalks

1 tablespoon Crushed Garlic

125ml Red Wine

1 teaspoon Sugar

1 teaspoon Thyme

800g Chopped Tinned Tomato

20g Tomato Paste

1 Bay Leaf

125ml Beef Stock

1 teaspoon Dried Thyme

1 teaspoon Dried Basil

1 teaspoon Dried Parsley

 

Method

1. In a bowl, add the flour and mix with the salt and pepper.
2. Coat each slice of the beef shank in the flour mixt.
3. In a frying pan over medium heat, add the oil.
4. Cook the beef in batches. Cook until each side is browned (Roughly 3-5 minutes).
5. In a slow cooker, add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, red wine, sugar, thyme, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, and beef stock and herbs. Mix until combined.
6. Add the Venison shanks so that they’re covered with the sauce.
7. Cook on low for 8 hours or until the meat is tender.
8. Season to taste. If needed add corn flour and water to the mixture to thicken.

 

Recipe by Estate Chef Tom Parry

Autumn is a beautiful time to enjoy a visit to Raby. The strong seasonal colours of reds, oranges, yellows and browns can be seen in splendour around our circular waterfall trail at High Force and the Deer Park at Raby Castle. With that slight nip in the air, Autumn is the perfect time to cosy up with a book or wrap up in your favourite scarf and head out for a walk. As the seasons shift there will also be some exciting displays on the wildlife calendar to watch out for across the Park.

Here are our top things to look out for this Autumn across the Estate:

 

Autumn Colours

September, October and November are a beautiful time to experience Raby in its full autumnal glory. Enjoy a walk around the Deer Park at Raby Castle and see the seasonal shift of the leaves as they turn to browns and golds. Or pull on your walking boots and explore our circular route at High Force to experience the bursts of colour on your way to the waterfall, a brilliant contrast against our conifer trees. Pick up a pinecone or a leaf to take home as a keepsake of your visit. After the lightness and brightness of Summer, Autumn really brings the landscape to life through its bold dark colours, nature’s final hurrah before Winter.

Deer Rutting Season

The rutting season, or ‘the rut’ is part of the deer’s annual cycle at Raby. Every Autumn the males compete for the attention of females by putting on an impressive display. People come from miles around to see and hear the incredible clash of antlers and the roar as the males make their challenge. We do please ask visitors not to approach the deer during this time, but you can still see the spectacle from a safe distance so bring your binoculars!

Migration and Hibernation

As the weather turns colder, birds across the Estate will start their migration to warmer climates for the Winter season. Swallows will depart our shores and make their way south, as other birds are gearing up to do the same. In Autumn fieldfare, redwing and bramblings will make their way from the cold climates of Scandinavia and Russia to the relative warmth of the UK. The striking red berries of hawthorn and rowan provide food for these Winter visitors. You might spot squirrels gathering their supplies for the long months ahead too. Keep your eyes peeled along the River Tees and you might be lucky enough to see a salmon journeying in from the Atlantic Ocean making the perilous journey upstream to its spawning grounds.

Stargazing

We are incredibly lucky in the North Pennines to have a large number of Dark Sky Discovery Sites including at Cow Green Reservoir and Low Force Waterfall, ideal locations to see the stars. Our High Force Hotel runs Stargazing Suppers throughout the Autumn months where visitors can enjoy a three-course meal followed by a guided stargazing experience. Visit our What’s On page to see upcoming dates. Or why not download an app for your own evening of discovery? Learning to read the stars is an incredible skill that can aid navigation and tell you more about our universe. Or simply go out to enjoy the peaceful spectacle of the constellations above you. If you’re lucky you may even get to witness the Northern Lights which can occasionally be seen from the North Pennines. Find out where your nearest Dark Sky Discovery Site is.

Halloween

We love Halloween at Raby. This October Half Term The Plotters’ Forest will be ghoulishly dressed for an exciting spooky trail. You might spy our woodland sculptures hiding round a corner so beware of scary spiders and our wicked witch. This year we’re inviting families to bring their carved pumpkins to Raby to be displayed around the gardens, so get your creative hat on! We can’t wait to see your designs. If you’re feeling extra brave, come along to our After Dark event and experience the trail at night.

Water Levels

The rising water levels with increased rainfall during Autumn will add to the spectacular sights of Cauldron Snout and High and Low Force Waterfall. This time of year is when High Force is at its most powerful, flowing with tremendous speed before plunging 21 metres into the pool beneath. If we have had a prolonged period of severe cold, you might even see it freeze!

Fall Flavours

As the weather gets colder we will be phasing out our Summer salads and staples in place of an Autumn palette at High Force Hotel and our Yurt Cafe at Raby Castle. Cosy up with a delicious hot chocolate or pick from our selection of warming dishes. Our Yurt Cafe will be serving a mouth-watering selection of jacket potatoes, quiche and frittatas this year. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options are available too, just ask our friendly staff to advise.

Autumn Shopping

Our Stables Shop will be enjoying a refresh this season and will have a beautiful array of new items on display. From books and boardgames to homeware, blankets, local produce and children’s games, there is plenty to browse. If you’re looking to fit in some early festive shopping, we will be launching our Christmas items on Thursday 3rd November 2022 with a special shopping evening with mulled wine and possibly a visit from Father Christmas himself!

We’d love to see your Autumn pictures at Raby.

For Raby Castle please tag us on Facebook at @rabycastle, Twitter at @rabycastle and Instagram at @rabycastleofficial.

For High Force please tag us on Facebook at @HighForceHotelWaterfall, Twitter at @HighForceWater and Instagram @highforcehotelwaterfall.

World Pharmacists Day, September 25th

In celebration of World Pharmacists Day, we’ll be looking at an interesting item which was found nestled in the back of one of Raby Castle’s many cupboards, shedding light on the way that sickness and injuries were treated in historic country houses.

 

An unexpected discovery was made over the winter period at the castle, as Raby’s Curation and Archives team were busy auditing the collections while the castle was closed. A cupboard drawer was opened one day, and an unassuming wooden box was spotted. Upon opening, it turned out this box in fact contained a fascinating at-home medical collection. This included a selection of medicines- some liquid in glass bottles, other in powder and pill form- some weighing scales and measures, and a glass pestle and mortar.

 

What followed was a concerted effort to catalogue, research and conserve the item, so it could be preserved and understood for future use.

 

Research

Britain has a long tradition of self-medicating, from growing herb gardens since the time of the Romans, to medical knowledge being passed down through family recipes, and owning these medicine chests which could be described as historic ‘first-aid kits.’

Medicine chests reflect a period of change, as towards the end of the 1700s medical texts began to be written in a language the general public could understand, and readymade tinctures (a medicine made by dissolving something in alcohol) and powders made medicine more accessible and affordable. Once bottles were empty, they would be refilled and re-labelled by a pharmacist.

The chests also contained tools used to self-medicate. This included scales, a set of apothecary weights in units such as drams and grains, and a pestle and mortar to grind ingredients.

Some contained instruction manuals which explained how the ingredients should be used and in what doses. Unfortunately, ours didn’t come with an instruction manual, but pharmacist John Savory created a helpful one with detailed instructions for many of the medicines found in our box.

 

Savory and Moore

The glass bottles in our medicine box have labels for Savory & Moore or Savory, Moore & Sons. Savory and Moore were a pharmacy company, founded by Thomas Paytherus in 1794. Thomas Savory joined the company in 1797, and in 1806 he became partners with (another) Thomas Moore.

They were originally based at 136 New Bond Street, then 143 Bond Street from around 1840, (it could be that 136 was re-named 143 Bond Street) which helps us when trying to date the bottles in our collection- these are labelled as 136 New Bond Street and 220 Regent Street. A network of pharmacies was created from 1849 onwards, which could explain the additional address. Savory and Moore became the official suppliers of the War Office and the Royal Family, also seen on the label.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1968 the shop was closed, and the fittings and contents were given over to the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine. In 1992 Savory and Moore was taken over by Lloyds Pharmacy.

Medicines 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Raby chest contains some interesting medicines which tell us a bit about health and society during the mid-to-late 1800s. These include:

• Sal Volatile: Smelling Salts

Found in everyone’s medicine box during the Victorian period, smelling salts were used as a stimulant to restore consciousness after fainting.

• Purgatives

It was popular throughout the 19^th century to induce sweating, vomiting or diarrhoea as a means of treating several illnesses- to ‘purge’ the body. This was done using several remedies in the medicine chest.

Rhubarb, specifically the root of Turkey Rhubarb, was used as a strong laxative. John Savory, in his ‘Companion to the Medicine Chest’ in 1836, states ‘the medicinal properties of this valuable root are so well known, that it appears to almost a work of supererogation to mention them. It is administered in the forms of powder, infusion, and tincture.’

He also suggests Senna as a ‘very useful and very general purgative, there being scarcely any disease in which it cannot be administered. It is customary to disguise the nauseous taste of senna…’

• Familiar: Castor Oil

There are some names, such as Carbonate of Soda and Castor Oil, which it wouldn’t be unusual to see in a kitchen cupboard today. Savory talks of cold drawn Castor Oil “This oil is a valuable aperient; for whilst, in doses of from half an ounce to an ounce, it thoroughly evacuates the bowels, it does so with little irritation; hence it is especially useful in inflammatory cases… One disadvantage attending the use of this oil is its tendency to excite vomiting, but this is counteracted by combining it with some aromatic… Upon the whole, castor oil is a purgative of great value.”

• Unfamiliar: James’s Powder

James’s Powder, or ‘Dr. James’s Fever Powder’, was one of the most successful patented medicines from the mid-eighteenth century to the early twentieth century. The medicine claimed to ‘cure most complaints that are not mortal, or chronical’. Several attempts were made to understand the formula, and it was believed to have contained antimony- once used to induce vomiting, but now known to be poisonous- and calcium phosphate. It was never proven effective and is now considered a form of ‘quackery.’

 

Conservation

The box was then handed over to our Conservation Placement Student. Davina’s first step was to create a conservation proposal, which included a thorough object description, detailing the materials involved. This item was interesting to a conservator because the range of materials there were to work on, such as the rosewood box, copper alloy hinges and handle, textile lining and glass bottles with leather lids.

She then assessed the condition of the item: the box exterior had a break in the wood with evidence of historic repair, the interior fabric was dirty, and some corrosion was present in the metal. There was also the risk of potentially hazardous substances to consider.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, Davina offered her proposed conservation treatments and got to work. She surface cleaned the contents, such as the glass bottles and measuring equipment, and removed the historic adhesive from the broken section of the medicine box. Using a sympathetic adhesive, she mended the break before adding pigments to colour match the mend with the item.

 

Cataloguing

Our Collections Intern, Rebecca, was then responsible for photographing and recording the item before adding it to our Collections Management System. This would enable us to locate the item in the future once it was safely packed away, if we wanted to use it for a display, talk or further research.

 

 

 

 

 

Archives

Research into the chest was supported by documents found in the castle’s archives. As previously mentioned, medical remedies were passed down through families. In the Raby collection we have a series of receipt books, which often had food recipes on one side and medical recipes on the other.

One recipe in ‘Mrs. Vane’s Receipt Book’ instructs the reader how to make Rhubarb calomel pills:

18 grains of Calomel

130 grains of Rhubarb

10 grains of Ginger

To be made into 36 pills.

These could easily be produced with some of the contents of the medicine box. (Do not try this at home!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to the meticulous photography of our Collections Intern, we were able to research the history of the item more easily. With the work of our Conservation Placement Student, we have ensured the item can be preserved safely for many years to come, and with the collaboration of our Archivist, we can better understand how the item would have been used in the context of the family. A real team effort!

The Rising development has marked a momentous milestone, as bookings for 2024 events open in its magnificent new events spaces. The iconic spaces will welcome guests to enjoy unique events opportunities in the stunning historical surroundings.

The Rising project has seen the restoration and repurposing of two heritage buildings, just beyond the Castle walls, known as the Dutch Barn and Riding School, as well as the remodelling of the Walled Garden and the commencement of work on the newly created Vinery Café Restaurant.

The new spaces will be the ideal location to host events of all sizes, from product launches to fashion shows, exhibitions and market-style fairs. Unlike a hotel or traditional conference venue, each individual setting will offer the exclusive combination of heritage, character and energy, in Raby’s beautiful parkland setting.

Across the project, structural work has been completed on Raby’s best-kept secret, the Grade II* listed Dutch Barn, an iconic piece of architecture, which has been hidden for decades now becoming an unmatched venue for all kinds of special events.

During the works, though the structure of the open-sided barn was secure, stone repairs were needed throughout the elegant agricultural building, as well as repairs to the exposed beams and timbers.

As with the rest of the project, where possible, the original timber has been saved and reused, with new timber blending sympathetically with the old, while maintaining the structural integrity. The completed space offers an arcaded building, providing an elegant, covered venue for a multitude of different events.

Work is currently underway on the neighbouring Riding School. The extraordinary space was once used to showcase Raby’s illustrious equine past and sits adjacent to the Victorian Coach House.

Horses and their riders would have traditionally entered the 66-metre-long space via the east entrance through double height doors. Though the original doors will remain in situ, the expansive, unrestricted space, which will hold over 400 people, will now benefit from two new entrances and the main entry point will be moved to the north/south verticals, creating a straight line for visitors to follow from the remodelled Walled Garden, through the Coach House, into the Riding School and on to the Dutch Barn.

These areas will be symmetrically linked with stairs and adjoining ramps traversing the newly installed Duchess’s Walk, a beautifully landscaped area for quiet reflection in this busy destination.

Visitors will also benefit from a stylish new dining opportunity, the Vinery Café Restaurant a stylish and airy recreation of the historic glass house which once stood on the same spot, offering seasonal and locally sourced food with stunning panoramic views of the castle on the horizon. The restaurant will seat over 200 guests, ideal for leisurely brunches, meetings and celebratory dinners.

 

“We are delighted to announce the opening of bookings in our extraordinary new event spaces,” says Sophie Brown, events manager at Raby Estates. “The Dutch Barn, Riding School and Vinery Café Restaurant are three of the most iconic buildings on the Raby Estate, each with its own character, offering exceptional spaces for all kinds of special events, which cannot be found elsewhere.

“Guests will be able to soak up Raby’s unique and unspoilt heritage, in our spectacular new spaces, each with its own individual charm. Due to the size and scale of our offering, we are able to accommodate events of any size and nature.

“We feel these characterful settings will reflect our distinctive and simple ambition – to offer unexpected elegance, thoughtful design and fresh, local food, in an unparalleled heritage setting, making the most memorable events experience”, concludes Sophie.

To enquire about bookings at Raby Castle, please visit: https://www.raby.co.uk/raby-castle/corporate-events/

For further information on The Rising, please visit: www.raby.co.uk/about-us/development/raby-castle-development/

CGIs: Artistic license, image for illustrative purposes

 

Royal Highnesses, The Duke of Gloucester and Duchess of Gloucester visited County Durham, this week (13^th September), to recognise the region’s longstanding commitment to traditional skills training and heritage restoration.

As patron of the Cultura Trust, the national charity which has supported sustainable development and traditional values across cultural town and landscape development for over 50 years, The Duke of Gloucester, accompanied by his wife, The Duchess of Gloucester, spent time at Raby Castle as part of their day in the northeast.

Cultura Trust is currently leading a partnership between four leading organisations (Raby Estate, Durham County Council, English Heritage and the charity), to transform and secure the future of the castle at Barnard Castle, with plans to open up the outer ward and provide a new visitor centre and learning resource in the Market Place.

Raby Estates previously acquired a property in Barnard Castle’s Market Place, which formerly housed a NatWest bank branch. Currently undergoing repairs, the building will offer a great opportunity to link the marketplace and castle precinct. The inner ward of the castle, also owned by Raby Estates and managed by English Heritage under a Guardianship Agreement, is open to the public, and the hope is that the outer ward will also be reinstated for community use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both Cultura Trust and Raby Estates are providing continued support for the preservation of the region’s cultural heritage buildings, whilst also ensuring young people are learning the tools they need to succeed in a career in restoration and conservation.

Welcomed by Graham Bell, Cultura Trust’s director, and Raby Estates’ custodians, Lord and Lady Barnard, at Raby Castle, Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, began their visit with a presentation from a team of Croatian stonemasons, currently on a working visit to the UK organised by Cultura Trust.

“It was an honour to welcome Cultura Trust’s Patron, HRH The Duke of Gloucester, and HRH The Duchess of Gloucester, to County Durham today. This visit was a unique opportunity to introduce them to the Trust’s partners, locally and internationally”, said Mr Bell.

“HRH The Duke of Gloucester trained as an architect, so the visit focused on the value and ‘international language’ of traditional skills held in common by Cultura, Raby Estates, and trainers and students from the Stonemasonry School of Croatia.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition, the visit also included a presentation from Historic England’s geospatial team and members of English Heritage’s conservation team, showcasing the newly created 3D resources being used for conservation and tour interpretation of the castle at Barnard Castle.

Following lunch, their Royal Highnesses were escorted around Raby Castle’s landmark development The Rising, currently under construction in the grounds of the iconic castle.

The ambitious renovation and restoration scheme will provide hospitality, event and retail space outside the 700-year-old castle walls, for the whole community to enjoy. The tour around the 24 acre development, culminated in a walk around the recently completed eastern section of the historic Walled Garden, a beautiful garden for quiet contemplation crafted by Lady Barnard and world-renowned landscape designer Luciano Giubbilei.

Work in the garden, just a stone’s throw from the 14^th century castle, has included extensive planting, the introduction of topiary elements and the creation of a unique tiered grass amphitheatre.

Lord Barnard said of the visit: “As we move into the second year of The Rising development, we are proud to showcase Raby’s investment in heritage crafts and skills training to Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. The Rising is a highly ambitious project, establishing a new tourism destination in the north of England, embracing and celebrating the restoration and conservation of our historical buildings.

“As part of our investment in the community, we are committed to providing continued training to revive past heritage crafts used in sustainable restoration, upholding the past, whilst embracing the best aspects of the present and future.”

The Rising development is due to open in late spring 2024. For more information, please visit: www.raby.co.uk/about-us/development/raby-castle-development/

International Dog Day | August 26^th

^{In celebration of all things canine on International Dog Day, we’re looking at some of our fav-FUR-ite relationships between the Vane family and their four-legged friends in Raby’s collections.}

 

The history of domesticating dogs spans thousands of years, and they have historically been used for working, hunting, and as lapdog companions for the elite. As pets began to be an accepted part of domestic life, they were seen as part of the family, regularly appearing in paintings and photographs. This portrait in the Baron’s Hall of Raby Castle shows Gilbert, the 2^nd Lord Barnard, with a spaniel at his side. Gilbert owned Raby Castle from around 1723 until his death in 1753.

 

 

 

Dogs were extremely popular pets during the Victorian period, admired for their loyalty and faithfulness, and helped along by Queen Victoria’s vast collection of dogs. Many were frequently mentioned in her journals, including Dash, ‘a spaniel of perfection,’ and Eos, who became Albert’s ‘constant and faith companion for ten and a half years.’

At Raby, the 4^th Duchess of Cleveland was often photographed with various pet dogs. In her Visitor Books, in which she encouraged guests to leave a contribution after their visit, there are frequent mentions of a particular dog, Norman.

After recording the death of her ‘dear dog, Bruno’ in October 1880, Norman first appears in October 1881 in a poem and drawing of ‘Norman de St Bernard’:

‘Of lofty mien, of lineage old,

Sprung of a race in duty bold,

Admired by all that on him look,

Behold his portrait in my Book.’

 

 

 

Norman then begins the next Visitor Book in November 1881, alongside a photograph of the 4^th Duke of Cleveland, and in a picture with the 4^th Duchess:

 

 

Norman was so popular, he found his way into a periodical magazine called The Animal World, with a story about his fear of Butchers.

 

 

The phrase ‘I am Her Grace’s Dog at Raby. Pray tell me Sir, whose Dog you may be?’ which according to the article was embossed on Norman’s collar, is a fun twist on an epigram Alexander Pope wrote in the 1730s, for a puppy he gave to Frederick, Prince of Wales. ‘I am his highness’s dog at Kew. Pray tell me, sir, whose dog are you?’

 

 

 

In a relatable scene, another photograph shows the 4^th Duchess vying for Norman’s attention, with the header ‘Unrequited Devotion.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A small watercolour from 1889 is the last we see of Norman, after over nearly 8 years of entries in the Visitor Books. In 1890 the Duke and Duchess didn’t visit Raby, and the 4^th Duke died in 1891.

 

 

 

 

 

Raby’s next Visitor Book was started in 1892 by the 9^th Lord and Lady Barnard, who inherited the castle and included their own fair share of dog related entries. A series of photographs in the Raby collection, from the early 1900s, also shows the 9^th Lady Barnard following the tradition of keeping and loving many dogs. In this album, each dog has been annotated alongside the family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raby’s loyal companions were remembered in touching ways by the family after death.

The 4^th Duchess, in her Handbook for Raby Castle from 1870, describes ‘A small plantation containing the gasometer, the brewhouse, and a cemetery for six little dogs belonging to Lady Augusta Poulett.’

Pet cemeteries became a popular way to commemorate beloved pets. A major public pet cemetery opened in the 1880s in Hyde Park, started by a burial of dog Cherry, whose owner used to walk her there daily. Over 1,000 burials took place before it became full in 1976, and during the 1900s more cemeteries opened around Britain. Others chose to create private cemeteries in their grounds, as Lady Augusta did at Raby. It looks to have grown significantly when this photo was taken in the late 20^th century, with one grave marker showing the date 1947.

 

 

(Photograph of the pet cemetery in Raby’s grounds, taken by Jack Walton, a Raby Joiner. With thanks to Ann Thorn. (late 20^th century)

 

 

 

Elizabeth, the 1^st Duchess of Cleveland at Raby had a different way of remembering her dog. Many visitors to Raby will remember Sally… in the form of a lap rug. Sally, a King Charles spaniel, was supposedly the favourite dog of the 1^st Duchess. Once displayed in the Ante-Library, Sally is now in safe storage for her own protection against pests and other damage.

 

In the present day, Raby welcomes your four-legged friends into the Deer Park, Yurt Café and Stables Shop. Situated where we are you will be spoilt for choice for ‘walkies’

Karl Hankey, our Project Manager here at Raby Estates has achieved a distinction after securing the highest of grades.

For the past five years Karl, has been responsible for a team who maintains and refurbishes properties across the Estate. The 41-year-old decided to return to Darlington College one day a week for two years and has just secured distinctions across the board in HNC building studies.

“When I was at school, I never thought I would ever be this well qualified, I thought I would just be a joiner all my life,” said Karl

“I was so pleased to be awarded distinctions across the board and do feel proud of myself. It has given me a massive sense of achievement and I would highly recommend life-long learning. I’m already taking everything I have learned back to my job on the estate. I’ve just started a Level 6 qualification in site management and hopes to do my Level 7 in site management soon after.”

“I didn’t want to stagnate and was keen to better myself so decided to go back to college. The construction trade is fast-moving at the moment, and I was keen to understand new techniques – you have to keep up with the times. I’m now pushing my staff to undergo extra training themselves.”

Karl originally wanted to be a joiner like his grandfather and after serving his apprenticeship in bench hand joinery he worked for a leading conservatory company during which time he travelled across the UK and Europe.

“I later spotted a position with Raby Estates as a maintenance manager and I absolutely love looking after and refurbishing its Residential Properties and Farms portfolio, some of which have been empty for decades and restoring the iconic buildings for future use. We are bringing them back to life in areas of outstanding natural beauty, which is very rewarding, while ensuring the estate retains a traditional look that is in keeping with the location.”

Karl has just overseen the complete refurbishment of grade 2* Hilton Hall making it habitable for modern day living. It started life as a medieval chapel of St Catherine’s Chantry to Staindrop Church, and has been extended over the 17th and 18th century.

“With properties, it is all about making them compliant, while reflecting their age and status,” he said. “We have to make them energy efficient, sustainable, which requires insulation, rewiring and replumbing, while protecting them as well and we have a great relationship with the council and conservation officers.”

Rising Development marks major milestone as work commences on the Vinery Café Restaurant

Raby Castle’s ‘Rising’ development has marked a major milestone as work commences on the estate’s new Vinery Café Restaurant. The new eatery, a stylish and airy recreation of the Victorian glasshouse which once stood in the same spot, will offer panoramic views to the castle and parkland on the horizon.

On completion, this reimagined dining venue, will welcome over 200 guests to enjoy seasonal and locally sourced food in the stunning historic surroundings.

The original Vinery glasshouse, housed in a former walled garden to the north of Raby Castle, was built in 1847 by Henry, 2nd Duke of Cleveland. As the name suggests, the Vinery was built for growing grapes, and housed a state-of-the-art ‘hot water apparatus’, consisting of an intricate arrangement of water pipes and stoves to provide warmth and protection from the unpredictable and often harsh north east climate. By the reign of Queen Victoria, in the late 1800s, four vineries flourished at Raby, and were in continued used until the early 20th century.

The new interpretation of the Vinery glasshouse will tell the story of its predecessor, artistically weaving retained features, such as the historic potting shed wall and reclaimed York Stone paving with new, thoughtfully sourced glass, ceramics and stone. Extensive planting and greenery will surround the restaurant, embedding it into the bucolic landscape.

The south facing, panoramic glass-fronted café will provide a beautifully designed and sun-soaked gathering space for over 200 visitors, and the opportunity to indulge in delicious, locally sourced food and gaze out across the Rising to the castle on the horizon.

Work continues elsewhere across this ambitious development, as planting takes shape within the 18th century Walled Garden and structural work continues on the Grade II listed Riding School, an iconic and unusual piece of architecture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“We are delighted to mark this exciting chapter in the restoration and reimagining of our heritage spaces, a milestone in the Rising development,” says Claire Jones, head of leisure and tourism at Raby Estates. “The Vinery Café Restaurant will be one of the most beautiful buildings in the development, with its own character, embracing and celebrating its past. It will be enjoyed by almost everyone that visits Raby Castle and offers a unique space for all kinds of special events, which cannot be found elsewhere.”

“The setting we are creating reflects our distinctive and simple ambition, to offer unexpected elegance, thoughtful design and fresh, local food, in an unparalleled heritage setting, making the most memorable visitor experience”, concludes Claire.

For further information on The Rising, please visit: www.raby.co.uk/about-us/development/raby-castle-development/

Over the past two days, Raby Estates has welcomed almost 300 children to step into the UK’s largest uplands classroom. As part of the Let’s Learn Moor initiative, taking place in seven locations across the north of England, 288 children from 10 schools across County Durham were invited to feel the spongey moss under their feet as they met the people and organisations helping to protect Raby’s stunning Upper Teesdale moorland and its species.

Coordinated by Raby Estates, Countryside Learning and the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), the children, aged seven to nine-years-old, were led through the six stations, including:

• The Upper Teesdale Fire Brigade – showcasing its role in protecting the moors and the danger of wildfires.
• The Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) – explaining what makes a peatland and the peatland restoration projects currently underway in Upper Teesdale.
• Raby Estate’s game keepers – explaining the wild food chain, pest and predator control and habitat management
• The Northern Pennine Moorland Group – exploring the varied wildlife on the moors, from pests to game birds, predator and waders
• Esta Verman – a local chef, treating the children to delicious game delights, including venison sausage rolls, pheasant goujons & baked grouse.
• The Upper Teesdale Agricultural Society (UTAS) – showcasing the everyday life of an upland farm, including sheep rearing and the production of high quality wool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Let’s Learn Moor initiative is in its second year at Raby Estate, taking place at Coldberry Mine, the last working mine in Upper Teesdale