Harewood House facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Harewood House
Harewood House from the garden
General information
Type	Stately home
Architectural style	Palladian
Location	Harewood, England
Coordinates	53°53′48″N 1°31′42″W / 53.89667°N 1.52833°W / 53.89667; -1.52833
Current tenants	Lascelles family
Construction started	1759
Completed	1771
Client	Edwin Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood
Owner	Harewood House Trust
Design and construction
Architect	John Carr Robert Adam
Designations	Grade I listed

Harewood House is a grand country house located in Harewood, West Yorkshire, England. It was designed by famous architects John Carr and Robert Adam. The house was built between 1759 and 1771 for Edwin Lascelles, a very wealthy man. The huge gardens and park, covering about 1,000 acres, were designed by the well-known landscape architect Lancelot "Capability" Brown.

Harewood House is still the home of the Lascelles family today. It is also part of the Treasure Houses of England, a group of ten important historic homes in the country. The house is a Grade I listed building, which means it's a very important historic site. Many parts of its grounds and courtyard are also listed for their historical value.

History of Harewood House

How the Estate Began

The large Harewood estate we see today was formed by joining two smaller estates. One was centered around Harewood Castle, and the other around Gawthorpe Hall. The Wentworth family of Gawthorpe bought the Harewood estate from the Ryther family, bringing the two together.

Later, in 1696, the combined estate was sold to a London merchant named Sir John Cutler. After he passed away, it went to the Boulter family. They then sold it to the Lascelles family in 1721.

The Lascelles Family and Building the House

In the late 1600s, members of the Lascelles family bought plantations in the West Indies. The money they earned from these plantations helped Henry Lascelles buy the Harewood estate in 1738. His son, Edwin Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood, decided to build the grand Harewood House. It was meant to replace Gawthorpe Hall, the older manor house on the estate.

Edwin hired John Carr, a popular architect in northern England, to design the new house. Construction began in 1759, and the main building was mostly finished by 1765. Robert Adam then designed the beautiful interiors, with his plans approved in 1765. Adam also made some small changes to Carr's outside design, including adding inner courtyards.

The house stayed much the same until the 1840s. At that time, Sir Charles Barry was hired by Henry Lascelles, 3rd Earl of Harewood. Henry had thirteen children, so he needed more space! Barry added second floors to the side wings to create extra bedrooms. He also removed the south entrance porch and created formal gardens and terraces.

Harewood House in the 20th Century

A special event happened in 1922 when Henry Lascelles, Viscount Lascelles, married Princess Mary. She was the only daughter of King George V. They first lived at nearby Goldsborough Hall. But after Henry's father passed away in 1929, they moved permanently into Harewood House.

During the Second World War, Harewood House was used as a hospital for soldiers recovering from injuries. By the late 1940s, Princess Mary and her family moved back. The house and gardens were then regularly opened to the public. The estate also hosted concerts, often linked to groups like the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra. Princess Mary was a supporter of these musical events.

Princess Mary passed away at Harewood on March 28, 1965. Her older son, Lord Harewood, became the 7th Earl in 1947. He lived at Harewood and was involved in many musical organizations.

Since 1947, the estate's Dower House, a smaller house nearby, has been rented out as an independent school.

Harewood House Today

Harewood House is still the family home of the Lascelles. Today, David Lascelles, the eighth Earl, lives there. The house and its grounds are now owned by the Harewood House Trust. They are open to visitors for most of the year. In 2009, Harewood won an award for "Large Visitor Attraction of the Year."

Inside Harewood, you can see amazing art. There are paintings by Italian Renaissance masters and family portraits by famous artists like Sir Joshua Reynolds. The 7th Earl and Countess also collected modern art. The Terrace Gallery often has new art exhibitions. You can also find fancy dining options at the house.

Besides tours of the house, Harewood has over 100 acres of gardens. These include a Himalayan garden with a stupa (a type of Buddhist monument). There's also an adventure playground and the historic All Saints' Church with its special tombs.

The Leeds Country Way and The White Rose Way walking paths both go through the Harewood Estate.

In 2005, David Lascelles spoke about his family's past connections to the slave trade. In 2007, actor David Harewood visited the house. He interviewed David Lascelles because his own ancestors in Barbados had been enslaved by the Earls of Harewood. In March 2023, it was announced that a portrait of David Harewood would be painted and displayed at Harewood House.

Harewood Bird Garden & Farm Experience

The Bird Garden at Harewood House used to have a small collection of interesting birds from around the world. More than five of these species were listed as vulnerable or endangered. The Bird Garden was a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA).

Some of the birds you could see there included Humboldt penguins, Chilean flamingos, and different types of macaws.

In January 2023, the people who manage Harewood House decided to close the Bird Garden. They announced that new homes would be found for all the birds. The area where the Bird Garden was located is being turned into a new woodland garden. This project also includes bringing back some old walking paths. The trustees explained that the Bird Garden's buildings needed a lot of expensive repairs, costing about £4 million. Because of this, they made the difficult choice to close that part of the Harewood experience. The Farm Experience, however, remains open.

Images for kids

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  The main entrance to the Park

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  The entrance front

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  The centre of the entrance front

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  The Entrance Hall

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  The Old Library

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  The China Room (Originally Study)

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  Princess Mary's Dressing Room

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  The East Bedroom

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  Lord Harewood's Sitting Room

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  The State Bedroom

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  The Spanish Library

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  The Library

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  The Yellow Drawing Room

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  The Cinnamon Drawing Room

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  The Gallery

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  The Dining Room

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  The Music Room

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  The Main Staircase

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  A bathroom

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  The Kitchen

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  The terrace and parterre in front of the south façade

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  The Old Stables

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  The lake

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  Harewood House cascade

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  Stepping stones below the cascade

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  The recently preserved Harewood Castle, as seen from the northeast

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  Exterior purpose-built village set built by ITV Studios in 1997, used for the production of Emmerdale since 1997.

See also

In Spanish: Casa Harewood para niños

• Grade I listed buildings in West Yorkshire
• Listed buildings in Harewood, West Yorkshire