Yorkshire's Castles & Stately Homes

Yorkshire's castles are exciting strongholds of historical discovery and mystery. Take a visit to Conisbrough Castle, a 90ft-high great white circular keep, constructed in 1180AD, with six buttresses is the oldest surviving of its type in England.

Visit the childhood home of Richard III,  Middleham Castle. The massive keep, one of the largest in England, served as a defensive building and self-contained residence. You can enjoy stunning views over the Yorkshire Dales from Richmond Castle, overlooking the River Swale and market town of Richmond. Or how about explore the splendid Ripley Castle, home of the Ingillby family for 26 generations!

Skipton Castle, guardian of the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales for over 900 years, is a unique fortress and one of the most complete and well-preserved medieval castles in England. Standing on a 40-metre high crag, the fully-roofed Castle was founded around 1090 by Robert de Romille, one of William the Conqueror’s Barons, as a fortress in the dangerous northern reaches of the kingdom.

Step inside any of the great stately homes across the region and admire their taste in art, gasp at their treasures and simply feel what it would have been like to live, eat and work in such opulent surroundings.

During your historic exploration of the region, take a visit to Harewood House near Leeds home of the Earl of Harewood, renowned for its stunning architecture and exquisite Adam interiors.

One of the most popular stately homes in Yorkshire is Castle Howard, near York, set in the breathtakingly beautiful Howardian Hills - a magnificent 18th Century house with extensive collections and magnificant parkland and gardens.

Take a drive through East Yorkshire to Burton Agnes Hall, a fantastic example of Elizabethan architecture built in 1598 by Sir Henry Griffith. Explore the family’s treasures and take a pleasant wander around the surrounding lawns and old walled garden.

Witness history come alive as Yorkshire leads the rest of the country in staging live events at historic abbeys, castles, houses and gardens! So why not take part in a history lesson about how our ancestors lived and have some fun along the way, or if you prefer, allow your imagination to roam free in quiet solitude.

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