Raby Castle facts for kids
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Raby Castle is an old castle in County Durham, England. It sits in a large deer park. John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby built it between about 1367 and 1390. A famous person named Cecily Neville was born here. She was the mother of two English kings, Edward IV and Richard III.
In 1569, Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland, led a rebellion. After it failed, the King took control of Raby Castle. Later, Sir Henry Vane the Elder bought the castle in 1626. His family, the Vanes, still own it today. They are known as the Barons Barnard. Over the years, the castle was changed and updated many times. It is famous for its large size and its amazing art collection. Raby Castle is a Grade I listed building, which means it's very important. You can visit it at certain times of the year.
Castle History
The Neville family owned the land of Raby starting in the 1200s. They were called Barons of Raby from 1295. Ralph Neville, 1st Baron Neville de Raby, was the first Neville to be called to Parliament. Raby was their main home. There might have been a strong house on this spot around 1300.
In the late 1300s, the Nevilles started rebuilding their homes in northern England. Raby Castle was one of these projects, built from about 1367 to 1390. By the end of the century, the Nevilles were a very powerful family in the north.
In 1378, Thomas Hatfield, the Bishop of Durham, gave John de Neville permission to make his home at Raby stronger. John died in 1388. His son, Ralph, took over. We don't have many old papers from this time. So, we learn about the castle's building mostly from how it looks. One historian said the work turned it from a "defendable house into a palace-fortress."
King Richard II made Ralph an Earl in 1397. This was a reward for Ralph's loyalty. But when Henry Bolingbroke invaded in 1399, Ralph sided with Henry. Ralph helped convince King Richard II to give up his throne. Henry became King Henry IV. Ralph was given important jobs by the new king.
Henry Neville, 5th Earl of Westmorland, died in 1564. His son, Charles, became the next Earl. The Nevilles were Catholic. Charles was a leader in the "Rising of the North" in 1569. This was a rebellion against England's Protestant Queen Elizabeth I. More than 800 rebels were killed. Charles Neville had to run away. In 1571, his lands, including Raby Castle, were taken by the Crown.
The castle belonged to the Crown for over 43 years. Then, Henry Vane the Elder bought it. He liked how big the castle and its lands were. The Vane family made many modern changes to the castle, especially inside. They updated the old chapel and drawing room.
The family even built a road through the castle. This caused some damage to its old parts. An architect named William Burn made more changes from 1843 to 1848. He added new roofs and a drawing room. The Vane family also built the castle's large art collection.
In 1890, the 4th Duke of Cleveland died. It was unclear who would get the castle and its lands. In 1891, it was decided that Henry Vane would inherit Raby. He became the 9th Baron Barnard.
Castle Layout
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Raby Castle has an unusual shape. It has nine towers around its edges. The main way into the castle was through the Neville Gateway on the west side. This gatehouse has four floors. You used to reach it by a drawbridge, but now there's a stone path. The gatehouse once had three portcullises (heavy gates that drop down). You can still see the grooves where they moved.
Two smaller towers next to the gatehouse were added later. They are not for defense. You get to the gatehouse through a door in the outer wall. This wall was 30 feet tall. It was the second line of defense after the moat. Guards walked along the top of the wall on a path called a chemin de ronde.
The castle buildings are built around a central courtyard. The great hall, also called the Baron's Hall, is on the east side. The old kitchen and the main tower (keep) inside the castle are still mostly as they were.
Filming Location
Raby Castle has been used in movies and TV shows. In 1988, the castle was used for the film Elizabeth. The castle's lake was even used to look like the River Thames for a night party scene.
In 2023, the TV show Billions filmed at the castle. It was shown as the home of a character named Bobby Axelrod.
Art Collection
The castle is famous for its many works of art. The Vane family collected most of these. The collection includes paintings by old masters and family portraits. Some famous artists whose work is here are Giordano, Van Dyck, and Sir Joshua Reynolds.
The Small Drawing Room has many paintings about sports. This shows what the family was interested in. You can see works by artists like Ben Marshall and Sir Alfred Munnings.
The library has some beautiful paintings too. There are two "capriccios," which are fantasy landscapes with buildings. One is by Marco and Sebastiano Ricci. The other is by Antonio Joli. There are also portraits of family members, like Sir Henry Vane the Elder.
In the ante-library, you'll find paintings from Dutch and Flemish artists. These include works by Pieter de Hooch and David Teniers the Younger. The dining room has some of the castle's most impressive paintings. These include works by Sir Joshua Reynolds and Sir Anthony van Dyck. Most of the paintings in this room are portraits of family members or people connected to them.
See also
In Spanish: Castillo de Raby para niños
