Raby Castle
Encyclopedia
Staindrop
Staindrop is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated to the east of Barnard Castle. Lord Barnard of Raby Castle also resides on the border.The village has one of the long greens typical of County Durham...
in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
and is one of the largest inhabited castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
s in England. The Grade I listed building has opulent eighteenth and nineteenth century interiors inside a largely unchanged, late medieval shell. It is the home and seat of John Vane, 11th Baron Barnard, who is the present lord of the castle. The castle is famed for both the size of the building and the artworks contained within it, including famous old masters and examples of portraiture.
The castle was greatly fortified by John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby
John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby
John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby, KG was born at Castle Raby, County Durham, England to Ralph Neville, 2nd Baron Neville de Raby and Alice de Audley. He fought in the Battle of Neville's Cross on 17 October 1346 as a Captain in his father's division...
in approximately 1360. Cecily Neville
Cecily Neville
Cecily Neville, Duchess of York was the wife of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and the mother of two Kings of England: Edward IV and Richard III....
, who was the mother of the Kings Edward IV of England
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
and Richard III of England
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
was born here. The Nevilles lost the castle after they led the failed Rising of the North
Rising of the North
The Rising of the North of 1569, also called the Revolt of the Northern Earls or Northern Rebellion, was an unsuccessful attempt by Catholic nobles from Northern England to depose Queen Elizabeth I of England and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots.-Background:When Elizabeth I succeeded her...
in favour of Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1569.
Sir Henry Vane the Elder
Henry Vane the Elder
Sir Henry Vane, the elder was an English politician and secretary of state.-Origins and education:Vane was born on 18 February 1589, the eldest son of Henry Vane or Fane of Hadlow, Kent, by his second wife, Margaret, daughter of Roger Twysden of East Peckham, Kent...
purchased the castle in 1626 and neighbouring Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle (castle)
Barnard Castle is a ruined medieval castle situated in the town of the same name in County Durham. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and was designated as a Grade I listed building in 1950...
from the Crown, and as the Earls of Darlington and Dukes of Cleveland, a Gothic-style entrance hall and octagon-shaped drawing room were added. From 1833 to 1891 they were the Dukes of Cleveland
Duke of Cleveland
Duke of Cleveland is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The dukedoms were named after Cleveland in northern England....
, and they retain the title of Lord Barnard
Baron Barnard
Baron Barnard, of Barnard Castle in the Bishopric of Durham, is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1698 for Sir Christopher Vane, who had previously served as a Member of Parliament for County Durham and Boroughbridge. Vane was the son of Sir Henry Vane the Younger and grandson of...
.
Early history
The first mention of the castle at Raby occurs in the reign of Cnut the Great and its first recorded documentary mention is in a charterCharter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
from Algar
Algar
-Monuments:*Iglesia Parroquial de Santa María de Guadalupe.*Plaza de Toros de Algar.*Puerta de Alcalá.-Economy:*Agriculture*Animal husbandry*Fur trade*Wood*Rural tourism- External links :** - Sistema de Información Multiterritorial de Andalucía...
, the prior of Durham
Prior of Durham
The Prior of Durham was the head of Durham Cathedral Priory, founded c. 1083 with the move of a previous house from Jarrow. The succession continued until dissolution of the monastery in 1540, when the priory was replaced with a deanery church.-List:...
granting to Dolfin:
This confirms a lord at Raby in 1131 at the latest.Staindropshire to him, the head of which honour of which was Raby Castle, originally the gift of Cnut the Great.
Tradition is that the castle is built upon solid rock and that it occupies the site of a former palace belonging to Cnut. The early castle’s ownership continued through the FitzMaldred line, until Robert FitzMaldred married the great Norman
Norman dynasty
Norman dynasty is the usual designation for the family that were the Dukes of Normandy and the English monarchs which immediately followed the Norman conquest and lasted until the Plantagenet dynasty came to power in 1154. It included Rollo and his descendants, and from William the Conqueror and...
heiress Isabel Neville upon which their son, Geoffery, changed his name to his mother’s maiden name of Neville, deciding to discontinue the use of the Saxon FitzMaldred. This began the Neville occupation of the castle, which lated until 1570.
The Neville family
Robert NevilleRobert Neville
Robert Neville was a Bishop of Salisbury and a Bishop of Durham. He was also a Provost of Beverley. He was born at Raby Castle. His father was Ralph Neville and his mother was Joan Beaufort, daughter of John of Gaunt. He was thus a highly-placed member of the English aristocracyNeville was...
was a famous lord of the castle and was also the governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Wark Castle, Nottingham Castle
Nottingham Castle
Nottingham Castle is a castle in Nottingham, England. It is located in a commanding position on a natural promontory known as "'Castle Rock'", with cliffs high to the south and west. In the Middle Ages it was a major royal fortress and occasional royal residence...
, Norham Castle
Norham Castle
Norham Castle is a partly ruined castle in Northumberland, England, overlooking the River Tweed, on the border between England and Scotland. It is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument...
and Bamborough Castle. He was also warden of King John’s castles north of the River Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
and Captain General of all the King’s forces in England. His son, Robert Neville
Robert Neville
Robert Neville was a Bishop of Salisbury and a Bishop of Durham. He was also a Provost of Beverley. He was born at Raby Castle. His father was Ralph Neville and his mother was Joan Beaufort, daughter of John of Gaunt. He was thus a highly-placed member of the English aristocracyNeville was...
married the heiress of Robert FitzRanulph, gaining massive Yorkshire possessions. Robert Neville did not occupy the position of lord of Raby for long, being killed in a “private quarrel” at an early age. Unusually, Raby Castle did not pass to his son Ralph, but rather his grandson Robert Neville. Robert had a great dispute with Antony Bek, the Bishop of Durham by refusing to obey his order to take the garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
at Raby to Scotland, stating that:
My tenure is only to defend the patrimony of Saint Cuthbert and that you [the bishop] have no right to tell me to go beyond the Tyne
River TyneThe River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...
or Tees.
His son, also called Robert, was contemporaneously styled “Peacock of the North” because of his arrogance and was killed in a fray on the boarder between England and Scotland by James, Earl of Douglas and his estates passed to his brother Ralph Neville
Ralph Neville
Ralph Neville was a medieval clergyman and politician who served as Bishop of Chichester, Keeper of the Great Seal and Lord Chancellor of England...
who took the castle’s garrison to the Battle of Neville’s Cross in 1346 and was hailed a great hero in that battle
Battle
Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, or combatants. In a battle, each combatant will seek to defeat the others, with defeat determined by the conditions of a military campaign...
.
Ralph Neville
Ralph Neville
Ralph Neville was a medieval clergyman and politician who served as Bishop of Chichester, Keeper of the Great Seal and Lord Chancellor of England...
became involved with another quarrel with the Bishop of Durham concerning the rent and terms of occupation of the castle. The charter issued by Algar stipulated that an annual rent of £5 was paid for the castle, but a custom had developed that the lord of Raby offer the prior of Durham a stag
STAG
STAG: A Test of Love is a reality TV show hosted by Tommy Habeeb. Each episode profiles an engaged couple a week or two before their wedding. The cameras then follow the groom on his bachelor party...
on Saint Cuthbert’s Day which was presented with “a fanfare
Fanfare
A Fanfare is a relatively short piece of music that is typically played by trumpets and other brass instruments often accompanied by percussion...
of trumpets.” Ralph’s father insisted that he bring with him a great retinue
Retinue
A retinue is a body of persons "retained" in the service of a noble or royal personage, a suite of "retainers".-Etymology:...
of his personal servants to serve him at the meal that followed rather than making use of the prior’s servants.
The prior would not accept the stag on those terms:
[...] whereupon a great quarrel ensued [...] which did not end in words. The monks being unarmed, sized the huge altar
AltarAn altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
candles [...] and forced Lord Neville’s retainers to retreat, leaving the stag behind them.
The Lord of Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle is an historical town in Teesdale, County Durham, England. It is named after the castle around which it grew up. It sits on the north side of the River Tees, opposite Startforth, south southwest of Newcastle upon Tyne, south southwest of Sunderland, west of Middlesbrough and ...
sided with the prior and the conflict, but the two parties must had made peace as Ralph was buried in the Neville Chantrey in Durham Cathedral
Durham Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham is a cathedral in the city of Durham, England, the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Durham. The Bishopric dates from 995, with the present cathedral being founded in AD 1093...
, the first lay man to be accorded that honour. Although the Chantrey was abolished in the English Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
the tomb
Tomb
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes...
and effigy
Effigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
is still visible today.
In 1154 no person was permitted to build fortifications in England without first obtaining a royal licence from the monarch. The power to grant the licence in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
was held by the bishop. In 1378 Bishop Hatfield granted such a licence to John Lord Neville:
To fortify, embattle and crenellate all the towers, houses, and walls in his manor at Raby [...]
Robert Surtees
Robert Surtees (antiquarian)
Robert Surtees was a celebrated English historian and antiquary of his native County Durham. Surtees was born in Durham, and educated at Kepier School, Houghton-le-Spring, and later at Christ Church, Oxford. Although a student of law he never practised as a lawyer...
therefore attributes the building of Raby to John. Other authorities, such as Owen Stanley Scott, claim that extensive buildings were already in situ as part of a feudal stronghold and the license was to extend the present buildings. Notwithstanding this, the majority of the castle can be attributed to John.
His son, Ralph, was created Earl of Westmorland
Earl of Westmorland
Earl of Westmorland is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of England. The title was first created in 1397 for Ralph Neville. It was forfeited in 1571 by Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland for leading the Rising of the North. It was revived in 1624 in favour of Sir Francis...
by Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
, but he subsequently sided with the Lancastrians
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
in the War of the Roses and was instrumental in placing Henry IV
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
upon the throne. He was also made a knight of the Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
and Earl Marshal
Earl Marshal
Earl Marshal is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England...
of England.
The military might of the Neville family grew during the feudal era, but during Elizabethan times the family’s wealth and power declined. The family lost its possessions in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and the family was described as “in rapid decline” in contemporary sources, “being much in debt” and selling off their many of their lands.
The Rising of the North
On 13 November 1569 the nobility of the north and knights under the Lord of Raby assembled in the great hall of the castle and decided to mount an armed insurrection against the Protestant Elizabeth I and in favour of the Roman Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots, known as the Rising of the North
Rising of the North
The Rising of the North of 1569, also called the Revolt of the Northern Earls or Northern Rebellion, was an unsuccessful attempt by Catholic nobles from Northern England to depose Queen Elizabeth I of England and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots.-Background:When Elizabeth I succeeded her...
. Some of the nobles managed to persuade the council to abandon the ill-fated enterprise. As the meeting was about to break up, the Countess of Westmorland, wife of the Lord of Raby, entered the room and:
[...] thew herself into their mist, weeping bitterly, and with taunting words spurring them anew into the course which had such fatal results.
After the failed coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
the Lord of Raby escaped with his life, but surrendered the castle the Crown. He died in Holland, “a very old man, forsaken and forlorn.” His wife was granted a pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
from the queen and died in 1593. The confiscation
Confiscation
Confiscation, from the Latin confiscatio 'joining to the fiscus, i.e. transfer to the treasury' is a legal seizure without compensation by a government or other public authority...
of the castle saw the end of the house of Neville at Raby.
The House of Vane
After the Rising of the North the castle became the property of the Crown for over forty three years, before being bought by Henry Vane, 1st Earl of DarlingtonHenry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington
Henry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington PC was an English peer, the son of Gilbert Vane, 2nd Baron Barnard.On 2 September 1725, he married Lady Grace Fitzroy, daughter of Charles Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Southampton and they had seven children.Vane was Whig MP for Launceston from 1726 to 1727, St Mawes...
who previously resided at Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle is an historical town in Teesdale, County Durham, England. It is named after the castle around which it grew up. It sits on the north side of the River Tees, opposite Startforth, south southwest of Newcastle upon Tyne, south southwest of Sunderland, west of Middlesbrough and ...
in County Durham. He was impressed by the size and lands, opposed to that at Barnard which was hemmed in by the surrounding town. The House of Vane were responsible for much of the modernising of the castle, especially the interior. These include renovation of the mediaeval chapel and famous drawing room
Drawing room
A drawing room is a room in a house where visitors may be entertained. The name is derived from the sixteenth-century terms "withdrawing room" and "withdrawing chamber", which remained in use through the seventeenth century, and made its first written appearance in 1642...
. The family also were responsible for the driving of a carriage way though the castle, causing much damage to the castle’s mediaeval fabric. In 1848, the chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
was renovated by Burn with his customary disregard for antiquity. The present family are responsible for the great collection of artworks in the castle.
In 1890 the former 4th Duke of Cleveland
Harry Powlett, 4th Duke of Cleveland
Harry George Powlett, 4th Duke of Cleveland KG , born Harry George Vane and known as Lord Harry George Vane from 1827 to 1864, was an English Whig statesman. He was the third son of William Vane, 3rd Earl of Darlington, who would later be created Duke of Cleveland...
died, leaving the line of succession to the castle, and its vast estates, unclear. The case was decided in 1891 when the Committee of Privileges of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
held his relative, Henry de Vere Vane to be the 9th Baron Barnard and inheritor of the vast estates of Raby. He did not, however, inherit the title of Duke of Cleveland
Duke of Cleveland
Duke of Cleveland is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The dukedoms were named after Cleveland in northern England....
which became extinct.
Christopher Vane, 10th Baron Barnard
Christopher Vane, 10th Baron Barnard
Christopher William Vane, 10th Baron Barnard CMG, OBE, MC, TD was a British peer and military officer.-Education:...
was the last great landowner who inhabited the castle. This came to an end when, during his decline, he divested himself of all but 1713 acres (693.2 ha) of the 53000 acres (21,448.4 ha) Raby estate.
The present Lord Barnard can trace his ancestry back to the House of Neville, thus making the lordship of the castle one of the longest dynastic lordships in English history.
Lords of the castle
There have been twenty-six lords of Raby Castle from the time of the first building on the site until the preset day.The Houses of Gospatric and FitzMaldred
- Uehtred, son of Gospatric
- Dolfin
- Maldred
- Robert FitzMaldred
The House of Neville
- Geoffrey Neville
- Robert NevilleRobert NevilleRobert Neville was a Bishop of Salisbury and a Bishop of Durham. He was also a Provost of Beverley. He was born at Raby Castle. His father was Ralph Neville and his mother was Joan Beaufort, daughter of John of Gaunt. He was thus a highly-placed member of the English aristocracyNeville was...
- Robert NevilleRobert NevilleRobert Neville was a Bishop of Salisbury and a Bishop of Durham. He was also a Provost of Beverley. He was born at Raby Castle. His father was Ralph Neville and his mother was Joan Beaufort, daughter of John of Gaunt. He was thus a highly-placed member of the English aristocracyNeville was...
[II] - Robert NevilleRobert NevilleRobert Neville was a Bishop of Salisbury and a Bishop of Durham. He was also a Provost of Beverley. He was born at Raby Castle. His father was Ralph Neville and his mother was Joan Beaufort, daughter of John of Gaunt. He was thus a highly-placed member of the English aristocracyNeville was...
‘Peacock of the North’ - Ralph NevilleRalph NevilleRalph Neville was a medieval clergyman and politician who served as Bishop of Chichester, Keeper of the Great Seal and Lord Chancellor of England...
- John Lord Neville
- Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland
- Cicely Neville ‘The Rose of Raby’
- John NevilleJohn NevilleJohn Neville, OBE, CM was an English theatre and film actor who moved to Canada in 1972. He enjoyed a resurgence of international attention in the 1980s as a result of his starring role in Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen .-Early life:Neville was born in Willesden, London, the...
, "knightKnightA knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
of England" - Charles NevilleCharles Neville, 6th Earl of WestmorlandCharles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland was an English nobleman and one of the leaders of the Rising of the North in 1569....
The Crown
Rising of the North
The Rising of the North of 1569, also called the Revolt of the Northern Earls or Northern Rebellion, was an unsuccessful attempt by Catholic nobles from Northern England to depose Queen Elizabeth I of England and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots.-Background:When Elizabeth I succeeded her...
it became the property of the Crown by Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
in 1570 for forty-three years, the monarch becoming the lord of Raby. The castle's lordship was then translated to James II's favourite
Favourite
A favourite , or favorite , was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In medieval and Early Modern Europe, among other times and places, the term is used of individuals delegated significant political power by a ruler...
, Robert Carr.
- Elizabeth IElizabeth I of EnglandElizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
- James IJames I of EnglandJames VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
The Crown (reverted)
Carr had the castle removed from him after falling out of favour with the king. The castle was reverted to the Crown and subsequently was "divested for [...] the augmentation and support of Charles, Prince of Wales, to Sir Francis Bacon and others, for ninety-nine years, with power to leaseLease
A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the lessee to pay the lessor for use of an asset. A rental agreement is a lease in which the asset is tangible property...
for three lives [...]"
- James I (reverted)
- Charles, Prince of WalesCharles I of EnglandCharles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
- Sir Francis BaconFrancis BaconFrancis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Albans, KC was an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, author and pioneer of the scientific method. He served both as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England...
(by proxy)
The House of Vane
- Henry Vane, 1st Earl of DarlingtonHenry Vane, 1st Earl of DarlingtonHenry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington PC was an English peer, the son of Gilbert Vane, 2nd Baron Barnard.On 2 September 1725, he married Lady Grace Fitzroy, daughter of Charles Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Southampton and they had seven children.Vane was Whig MP for Launceston from 1726 to 1727, St Mawes...
- Henry Vane, 2nd Earl of DarlingtonHenry Vane, 2nd Earl of DarlingtonHenry Vane, 2nd Earl of Darlington was a British peer, the son of the 1st Earl of Darlington.He married Margaret Lowther, a daughter of Robert Lowther, the Governor of Barbados, on 19 March 1757 in London. They had three children:*Lady Grace Vane Henry Vane, 2nd Earl of Darlington (1726 – 8...
- William Henry Vane, 1st Duke of Cleveland
- Henry Vane, 2nd Duke of ClevelandHenry Vane, 2nd Duke of ClevelandGeneral Henry Vane, 2nd Duke of Cleveland, KG was a British peer, politician and army officer.Born The Honourable Henry Vane, he was the eldest son of William Vane, Viscount Barnard and his first wife, Katherine, the second daughter of Harry Powlett, 6th Duke of Bolton...
- William John Frederick Vane, 3rd Duke of ClevelandWilliam Vane, 3rd Duke of ClevelandWilliam John Frederick Vane, 3rd Duke of Cleveland , styled The Hon. William Vane from 1792 to 1813, The Hon...
- Harry George Powlett, 4th Duke of Cleveland
- Henry de Vere Vane, 9th Baron BarnardHenry de Vere Vane, 9th Baron BarnardHenry de Vere Vane, 9th Baron Barnard FSA, JP, Hon. DCL Durham was a British peer and masonic grand master.-Education:...
- Christopher Vane, 10th Baron BarnardChristopher Vane, 10th Baron BarnardChristopher William Vane, 10th Baron Barnard CMG, OBE, MC, TD was a British peer and military officer.-Education:...
- (Harry) John Neville Vane, 11th Baron Barnard
Defences
Tradition is that the castle is built upon solid rockRock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
, which can be observed when the water is low in the lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
, and that the stone used to build the fortifications were quaried from base rock of the site. However, no archeological studies have been conducted to lend support to this theory. Notwithstanding this, physical evidence to support the theory can be gained from the deep fosse surrounding the walls of the castle. Before the complex was de-fortified this fosse formed the castle’s moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
.
The only access that can be had into the enceinte
Enceinte
Enceinte , is a French term used technically in fortification for the inner ring of fortifications surrounding a town or a concentric castle....
of the castle is through the gatehouse
Gatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
. In former times the gatehouse was intended to guard the drawbridge
Drawbridge
A drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:...
. No drawbridge remains at the present day, it having been replaced by a flagged causeway. The gatehouse originally contained three portcullis
Portcullis
A portcullis is a latticed grille made of wood, metal, fibreglass or a combination of the three. Portcullises fortified the entrances to many medieval castles, acting as a last line of defence during time of attack or siege...
, evidenced by the groves still visible used to work them.
Two stone figures on the battlements were brought from the chapel tower during the reign of Edward III. These figures are almost unique in the north of England and are intended to to be a semi-figure to stand at the top of the merlon
Merlon
In architecture, a merlon forms the solid part of an embattled parapet, sometimes pierced by embrasures. The space between two merlons is usually called a crenel, although those later designed and used for cannons were called embrasures.-Etymology:...
s (which would conceal a man below the waste), and lead the attacking party to believe that the garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
was on alert, and at their post on the walls, when viewed at a distance.
The two smaller towers beside the gatehouse have no defensive function and were added during the renovations of Henry Vane, 2nd Earl of Darlington
Henry Vane, 2nd Earl of Darlington
Henry Vane, 2nd Earl of Darlington was a British peer, the son of the 1st Earl of Darlington.He married Margaret Lowther, a daughter of Robert Lowther, the Governor of Barbados, on 19 March 1757 in London. They had three children:*Lady Grace Vane Henry Vane, 2nd Earl of Darlington (1726 – 8...
.
Access to the gatehouse is gained by a door through the enclosing wall of enceinte
Enceinte
Enceinte , is a French term used technically in fortification for the inner ring of fortifications surrounding a town or a concentric castle....
, which rose to a height of thirty feet from the waters of the moat. This is strengthened periodically by buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
towers and formed the second line of defense, the moat being the first. The passage along the parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
was the ancient chemin de ronde
Chemin de ronde
A chemin de ronde — also called an allure or, more prosaically, a wall-walk — is a raised, protected walkway behind a castle battlement....
(allure) on which guards were posted. Similar passages can be found at York Castle
York Castle
York Castle in the city of York, England, is a fortified complex comprising, over the last nine centuries, a sequence of castles, prisons, law courts and other buildings on the south side of the River Foss. The now-ruinous keep of the medieval Norman castle is sometimes referred to as Clifford's...
and around the city of Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.
Towers
The castle has nine distinct towers and it is noted that no two towers are of the same height, shape or size. Ranging in height from 61 feet to 80 feet, they were all built for defense rather than ornamental reasons, although some have been beautified when the castle was de-fortified.| Name of tower | Height in feet |
|---|---|
| Clifford’s Tower | 80 ft. 0 ins. |
| Kitchen Tower | 77 ft. 8 ins. |
| Mount Raskelf | 70 ft. 8 ins. |
| Chapel Tower | 73 ft. 3 ins. |
| Bulmer’s Tower | 76 ft. 6 ins. |
| Nevill or Neville Tower | 62 ft. 6 ins. |
| Watch Tower | 75 ft. 9 ins. |
| Keep | 65 ft. 0 ins. |
| Joan’s Tower | 61 ft. 6 ins. |
Interior
The proportions of the kitchen of Raby castle are virtually unaltered since it was built in 1360. The Garrison Room has walls up to twenty feet thick. where in times of danger men-at-arms (and their horses) lived and slept; and most magnificent of all, the breath-taking grandeur of the Baron's Hall where 700 knights gathered in 1569 to plot the "Rising of the North" in support of Mary, Queen of Scots, a doomed enterprise that brought about the fall of the House of Nevill.Artworks
The castle is famous for its works of art, mostly collected by the House of Vane, including old masters and family portraiture. Some noted artists who's work is in the castle's collection include Titian, Canaletto and Sir Joshua Reynolds.Private apartments
There are several works of note in the private apartments of the family, including two depictions Venetian scenes painted by Canaletto and Marieschi as well as several family portraits executed by notable artists of the day. The apartments also contain a selection of fine Chinese porcelainPorcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
, including vases and plates.
| Artist or medium | Title or description of subject |
|---|---|
| Jacopo Marieschi Jacopo Marieschi Jacopo Marieschi was an Italian painter of Vedute, active in his native Venice.He initially trained with his father, the prominent vedute painter, Michele Marieschi, and later with Gaspare Diziani. Also called Giacomo Marieschi.-References:... |
On the Grand Canal, Venice |
| David Teniers the Elder David Teniers the Elder David Teniers the Elder , Flemish painter, was born at Antwerp.-Biography:Having received his first training in the painter's art from his brother Juliaen, he studied under Rubens in Antwerp, and subsequently under Elsheimer in Rome; he became a member of the Antwerp guild of painters in... and Jacques d'Arthois Jacques d'Arthois Jacques d'Arthois was a Flemish Baroque painter who specialized in landscapes.-Biography:D'Arthois was born in Brussels. He was apprenticed to Jan Mertens on 11 January 1625 and became a master in the Brussels Guild of St. Luke in 1634... |
Landscape with Figures |
| Giovanni Antonio Canal (known as Canaletto Canaletto Giovanni Antonio Canal better known as Canaletto , was a Venetian painter famous for his landscapes, or vedute, of Venice. He was also an important printmaker in etching.- Early career :... ) |
On the Grand Canal, Venice |
| Carlo Dolci Carlo Dolci Carlo Dolci was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Florence, known for highly finished religious pictures, often repeated in many versions.-Biography:... |
The Madonna Mary (mother of Jesus) Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee... in Prayer |
| David Teniers the Elder | The Gipsy Encampment |
| Giovanni Paolo Panini | An Architectural Composition |
| Spanish School | Portrait of a Man |
| David Teniers the Younger David Teniers the Younger David Teniers the Younger was a Flemish artist born in Antwerp, the son of David Teniers the Elder. His son David Teniers III and his grandson David Teniers IV were also painters... |
Habour Scene |
| Jacopo Marieschi | A Public Square in Venice |
| The School of Nicolas Poussin Nicolas Poussin Nicolas Poussin was a French painter in the classical style. His work predominantly features clarity, logic, and order, and favors line over color. His work serves as an alternative to the dominant Baroque style of the 17th century... |
Landscape with Figures |
Library
The pictures in the library, with the exception of two architectural pieces executed by Panini above the fireplace, are all portraits of the family or figures associated with them. Of note are depictions of the younger and older Sir Henry Vanes wearing the Order of the GarterOrder of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
. The room also contains a pastel
Pastel
Pastel is an art medium in the form of a stick, consisting of pure powdered pigment and a binder. The pigments used in pastels are the same as those used to produce all colored art media, including oil paints; the binder is of a neutral hue and low saturation....
drawing of the former Lady Barnard by Ellis Roberts which she considered to be her best work.
| Artist or medium | Title or description of subject |
|---|---|
| Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt | Henry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington Henry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington Henry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington PC was an English peer, the son of Gilbert Vane, 2nd Baron Barnard.On 2 September 1725, he married Lady Grace Fitzroy, daughter of Charles Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Southampton and they had seven children.Vane was Whig MP for Launceston from 1726 to 1727, St Mawes... |
| The Hon. John Collier John Collier (artist) The Honourable John Maler Collier OBE RP ROI , called 'Jack' by his family and friends, was a leading English artist, and an author. He painted in the Pre-Raphaelite style, and was one of the most prominent portrait painters of his generation. Both his marriages were to daughters of Thomas Henry... |
Sir H. M. Vane |
| Robert Walker Robert Walker (painter) Robert Walker was an English portrait painter, notable for his portraits of the "Lord Protector" Oliver Cromwell and other distinguished parliamentarians of the period... |
Sir Henry Vane the Younger |
| Pompeo Batoni Pompeo Batoni Pompeo Girolamo Batoni was an Italian painter whose style incorporated elements of the French Rococo, Bolognese classicism, and nascent Neoclassicism.-Biography:He was born in Lucca, the son of a goldsmith, Paolino Batoni... |
Sir William Meredith, 3rd Baronet Sir William Meredith, 3rd Baronet Sir William Meredith, 3rd Baronet was a British politician of the late 18th Century, one of the Rockingham Whigs.Meredith represented Wigan in the House of Commons from 1754 to 1761, and then Liverpool until 1780. From 1765 to 1766, he briefly served as a Lord of the Admiralty... |
| Allan Ramsay | Lady with Feather Fan |
| Giovanni Paolo Panini | An Architectural Composition |
| Unknown artist | Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton KG was the illegitimate son of King Charles II by Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine.... , KG |
| Peter Lely Peter Lely Sir Peter Lely was a painter of Dutch origin, whose career was nearly all spent in England, where he became the dominant portrait painter to the court.-Life:... |
Lady Mary Sackville |
| Unknown artist | A boy |
| Ellis Roberts | Sylvia Mary Straker |
| Unknown Artist | Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton KG PC was an Irish and English politician.He was born the only child of Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton and Isabella Bennet, 2nd Countess of Arlington... |
| Peter Lely Peter Lely Sir Peter Lely was a painter of Dutch origin, whose career was nearly all spent in England, where he became the dominant portrait painter to the court.-Life:... |
Louise Renée de Penancoët de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth Louise Renée de Penancoët de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth was a mistress of Charles II of England. Through her son by Charles II, Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, she is ancestress of both wives of The Prince of Wales: the late Diana, Princess of Wales, as well as The Duchess of... |
| In the style of John Hoppner John Hoppner John Hoppner was an English portrait painter, .-Early life:Hoppner was born in Whitechapel, London, the son of German parents - his mother was one of the German attendants at the royal palace. King George's fatherly interest and patronage of the young boy gave rise to rumours, quite unfounded,... |
Henrietta Elizabeth Frederica |
| Autotype | Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland.... |
| Maria Chalon | Lord Harry Vane |
Anti-Library
The pictures in the Anti-Library are chiefly of the Dutch school of painting with some notable examples by Lorrain and Titan. The room also contains portraits, mostly members of the family.| Artist or medium | Title or description of subject |
|---|---|
| Thomas Gainsborough Thomas Gainsborough Thomas Gainsborough was an English portrait and landscape painter.-Suffolk:Thomas Gainsborough was born in Sudbury, Suffolk. He was the youngest son of John Gainsborough, a weaver and maker of woolen goods. At the age of thirteen he impressed his father with his penciling skills so that he let... |
Elizabeth Wood |
| Claude Lorrain Claude Lorrain Claude Lorrain, , traditionally just Claude in English Claude Lorrain, , traditionally just Claude in English (also Claude Gellée, his real name, or in French Claude Gellée, , dit le Lorrain) Claude Lorrain, , traditionally just Claude in English (also Claude Gellée, his real name, or in French... |
The Embarcation of the Queen of Sheba |
| George Romney George Romney (painter) George Romney was an English portrait painter. He was the most fashionable artist of his day, painting many leading society figures - including his artistic muse, Emma Hamilton, mistress of Lord Nelson.... |
The Hon. Charles Vane |
| Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio (known as Titian Titian Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio (c. 1488/1490 – 27 August 1576 better known as Titian was an Italian painter, the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, near... ) |
The Holy Family Holy Family The Holy Family consists of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph.The Feast of the Holy Family is a liturgical celebration in the Roman Catholic Church in honor of Jesus of Nazareth, his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and his foster father, Saint Joseph, as a family... |
| Wilhelm Schubert van Ehrenberg Willem Schubart von Ehrenberg Willem Schubart von Ehrenberg was a Flemish Baroque painter who specialized in architectural church interiors. Paintings such as his Interior of the Jesuit Church at Antwerp emphasize the Baroque architecture of the space depicted, but are more artificial than Dutch Golden Age contemporaries such... |
Interior of an Italian Church |
| Pieter de Hooch Pieter de Hooch Pieter de Hooch was a genre painter during the Dutch Golden Age. He was a contemporary of Dutch Master Jan Vermeer, with whom his work shared themes and style.-Biography:... |
In interior |
| Jan Steen Jan Steen Jan Havickszoon Steen was a Dutch genre painter of the 17th century . Psychological insight, sense of humour and abundance of colour are marks of his trade.-Life:... |
Dutch interior |
| Willem van Mieris Willem van Mieris Willem van Mieris was a Dutch painter. He was a son of Frans van Mieris sr. and brother of Jan van Mieris.... |
A woman huxtering fish |
| David Teniers the Younger David Teniers the Younger David Teniers the Younger was a Flemish artist born in Antwerp, the son of David Teniers the Elder. His son David Teniers III and his grandson David Teniers IV were also painters... |
In an artist’s studio |
| Jan Steen Jan Steen Jan Havickszoon Steen was a Dutch genre painter of the 17th century . Psychological insight, sense of humour and abundance of colour are marks of his trade.-Life:... |
Inside a Tavern |
| Adriaen van Ostade Adriaen van Ostade Adriaen van Ostade was a Dutch Golden Age painter of genre works.-Life:... |
Dutch Interior |
| Unknown artist | Sophia |
| Sir George Hayter | Henry Vane |
| After R. Crossway RA | Henry Vane |
| Unknown artist | The Hon. Anne Vane |
| David Teniers the Younger David Teniers the Younger David Teniers the Younger was a Flemish artist born in Antwerp, the son of David Teniers the Elder. His son David Teniers III and his grandson David Teniers IV were also painters... |
A Country Tavern |
Dining Room
The dining roomDining room
A dining room is a room for consuming food. In modern times it is usually adjacent to the kitchen for convenience in serving, although in medieval times it was often on an entirely different floor level...
contains some of the castle’s most impressive paintings, such as Joshua Reynolds, Anthony van Dyck and Rembrandt. The subjects of the paintings in this room are mostly of portraiture of members of the family or associates and still lives.
| Artist or medium | Title or description of subject |
|---|---|
| Sir Godfrey Kneller | Alexander Pope in his 28th year |
| The School of Bartolomé Esteban Murillo Bartolomé Estéban Murillo Bartolomé Esteban Murillo was a Spanish Baroque painter. Although he is best known for his religious works, Murillo also produced a considerable number of paintings of contemporary women and children... |
Joseph Interpreting the Dream of Pharaoh’s Chief Baker |
| William Hoare William Hoare William Hoare of Bath RA was an English painter and printmaker, co-founder of the Royal Academy noted for his pastels.... |
The Hon. Charles Vane |
| Sir Godfrey Kneller | William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield, SL, PC was a British barrister, politician and judge noted for his reform of English law. Born to Scottish nobility, he was educated in Perth, Scotland before moving to London at the age of 13 to take up a place at Westminster School... |
| Wilhelm Schubert van Ehrenberg | William Talbot William Talbot Rt. Rev. William Talbot was Bishop of Oxford from 1699 to 1715, Bishop of Salisbury from 1715 to 1722 and Bishop of Durham from 1722 to 1730.-Family:... |
| Unknown artist | An unknown gentlemen |
| Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt | Sir Henry Vane the Elder |
| Jan van Huysum Jan van Huysum Jan van Huysum, also spelled Huijsum, was a Dutch painter.-Biography:He was the brother of Jacob van Huysum, the son of the flower painter Justus van Huysum, and the grandson of Jan van Huysum I, who is said to have been expeditious in decorating doorways, screens and vases... |
A Composition of Fruit and Lobsters |
| Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (known as Rembrandt) | Head of an Old Man |
| Ludolf Bakhuizen | Storm Coming On: A Sea Piece |
| Unknown artist | Sir Henry Vane the Younger |
| Jacopo da Ponte (known as Jacopo Bassano Jacopo Bassano Jacopo Bassano , known also as Jacopo dal Ponte, was an Italian painter who was born and died in Bassano del Grappa near Venice, from which he adopted the name.- Life :... |
A Vegetable and Fruit Market |
| Robert Walker Robert Walker (painter) Robert Walker was an English portrait painter, notable for his portraits of the "Lord Protector" Oliver Cromwell and other distinguished parliamentarians of the period... ) |
Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland.... |
| Gerard Dou Gerard Dou Gerrit Dou , also known as Gerard and Douw or Dow, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, whose small, highly-polished paintings are typical of the Leiden fijnschilders... |
A Burgomaster Burgomaster Burgomaster is the English form of various terms in or derived from Germanic languages for the chief magistrate or chairman of the executive council of a sub-national level of administration... |
| Aert van der Neer | River Scene at Midnight |
| Either Sir Anthony van Dyck Anthony van Dyck Sir Anthony van Dyck was a Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England. He is most famous for his portraits of Charles I of England and his family and court, painted with a relaxed elegance that was to be the dominant influence on English portrait-painting for the next... or Sir Peter Paul Rubens |
A Group |
| Sir Anthony van Dyck Anthony van Dyck Sir Anthony van Dyck was a Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England. He is most famous for his portraits of Charles I of England and his family and court, painted with a relaxed elegance that was to be the dominant influence on English portrait-painting for the next... |
James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton, 6th Lord of Cadzow was a Scottish nobleman, scholar and politician.-Early life:... |
| Sir Anthony van Dyck Anthony van Dyck Sir Anthony van Dyck was a Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England. He is most famous for his portraits of Charles I of England and his family and court, painted with a relaxed elegance that was to be the dominant influence on English portrait-painting for the next... |
John Finch, 1st Baron Finch |
| Sir Joshua Reynolds P.R.A. | Lady Margaret Powlett |
| Allan Ramsay | William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath, PC was an English politician, a Whig, created the first Earl of Bath in 1742 by King George II; he is sometimes stated to have been Prime Minister, for the shortest term ever , though most modern sources reckon that he cannot be considered to have held the... |
| Luca Giordano Luca Giordano Luca Giordano was an Italian late Baroque painter and printmaker in etching. Fluent and decorative, he worked successfully in Naples and Rome, Florence and Venice, before spending a decade in Spain.... |
Manius Curius Dentatus Jumping into the Gulf |
| Unknown artist | Joseph Addison |
| Thomas Barker | The Woodman Returning |
| The School of Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (known as Raphael Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino , better known simply as Raphael, was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form and ease of composition and for its visual achievement of the Neoplatonic ideal of human grandeur... ) |
The Holy Family Holy Family The Holy Family consists of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph.The Feast of the Holy Family is a liturgical celebration in the Roman Catholic Church in honor of Jesus of Nazareth, his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and his foster father, Saint Joseph, as a family... |
Tourism
The Castle is open to the public and contains many works of art, including the original1844 version of Hiram Powers' The Greek Slave
The Greek Slave
The Greek Slave is a marble statue in Raby Castle, carved in Florence by American sculptor Hiram Powers in 1844. Copies of the statue were displayed in a number of venues around Great Britain and the United States, and it quickly became one of Powers' most famous and most popular works...
.