Raby to Restore Historic Tower with Award from Historic England – Raby Estates
October 2021 A grant from Historic England has been awarded to Raby Estate for important repairs to Raby Castle’s historic 14th century Keep Tower, and the 19th century clock faces and sundial. The Keep is one of Raby’s nine towers, located in the centre of the castle. In the medieval period the base of the […]
Filed under: Community History
Tagged as: funding Historic England Historic Houses Raby Castle
Delve into the History of our Octagon Drawing Room
This summer, a very special piece of research has been taking place at Raby Castle. Funded by the British-Irish Furniture Makers Online (BIFMO), the project brought together two research students working on either side of the Atlantic Ocean. Postgraduate students Cara Caputo, studying American Material Culture at Winterthur and Andrea Gonzales, studying Art Gallery and […]
Filed under: History
Tagged as: Octagon Drawing Room Raby Castle William Burn
Q&A with Annie Garthwaite
We caught up with Annie Garthwaite ahead of her debut book launch to find out more about her heroine, the fascinating Cecily Nevill. Cecily was born at Raby Castle in the 15th-century and lived through the famous historical period of the War of the Roses. Born a Lancastrian, but a Yorkist by marriage, Cecily had […]
Tagged as:
The Betrothal of Cecily Neville & Richard Duke of York
We are delighted to be taking part in Historic Houses’ #MedievalMondays initiative, to share special stories and pieces from our collections at Raby. For our latest theme, Betrothals and Marriages, we caught up with Castle Curator, Julie Biddlecombe-Brown to explore one of the most famous betrothals connected with Raby. Read on to find out more… […]
Filed under: History
Tagged as:
Historic Tiles Used in High Force Hotel Refurbishment
When High Force Hotel reopens on Monday 17th May, guests will notice a stylish new look in the bar and communal areas, bringing the interiors in line with the beautiful restoration of the Garden Room restaurant and function room, which was unveiled last year. The bar refurbishment is the final phase of work, which began […]
Filed under: Community History
Tagged as:
Women of Raby – the Untold Story of Anne Vane: Talented Artist – Raby Estates
Anne Vane (1710-1735) of Raby Castle has been remembered through history as a royal mistress; a woman entangled in a doomed love triangle between Frederick, Prince of Wales, and his once-close friend, Lord John Hervey of Ickworth. Even more scandalous for her time was the fact that she bore two illegitimate children with the Prince. Like […]
Filed under: History
Tagged as:
The Stories Behind Raby’s Oriental Ceramics Collection
Raby Castle regularly hosts research placements for students who are training for careers in heritage and curation. Despite the challenges of the past 12 months this tradition continued during 2020, albeit virtually, and we are delighted to share some of the fascinating stories about Raby’s oriental ceramic collection which were uncovered by a group of […]
Filed under: History
Tagged as:
Behind the Scenes – The Octagon Drawing Room at Raby Castle
Each year during the winter months, many historic buildings close their doors to visitors. Raby Castle is no exception and after a busy festive period, the castle closes before opening again in the spring. Although the doors may be closed, this period is anything but quiet for the castle team, as work to care for […]
Filed under: History
Tagged as:
The Tale of the Old Hell-Cat of Raby
In the early 18th-century an almighty family feud almost destroyed one of Durham’s best-loved castles. Christopher Vane, 1st Baron Barnard of Raby Castle, was said to be a quiet, book-loving man who liked his estates to be run in good order. He married Lady Elizabeth Holles, the eldest daughter of Gilbert Holles, Earl of Clare. […]
Filed under: History
Tagged as:
Whatever Happened to Raby’s ‘Museum of Natural History’?
Visitors today might think of Raby Castle as a ‘museum’, but this is not the only time in its history where it has been considered as such. In the first half of the 19th century, Elizabeth (c.1777-1861)—the second wife to the 1st Duke of Cleveland (1766-1842)—compiled at Raby ‘a most curious Museum of Natural […]
Filed under: History
Tagged as: