The summer seems to have arrived in patches and I managed to make a few visits without dodging the rain.

As promised, the two new articles on philemeryvisits. this month are on North Yorkshire country houses from either end of the spectrum.

Castle Howard is not only one of the most famous houses in England, but also in the top 3 of Baroque mansions. Its architects, John Vanbrugh and Nicholas Hawksmoor are, along with Christopher Wren, the most important architects of this style in England. The approach to the house and its location in beautiful landscape gardens are unforgettable. A rich variety of buildings, statues and water features are found in the gardens; these include the iconic Temple of the Four Winds and the Mausoleum.

The interior is open daily, although there is still a part of the house awaiting restoration after the devastating fire of 1940. However, the Great Hall, below the impressive restored dome, is still awe inspiring and the tour ends with the beautiful Arts & Crafts chapel.

Markenfield Hall, on a much smaller scale and significantly older than Castle Howard, is an idyllic fortified and moated manor house. Fulfilling the ideal of medieval romance and chivalry, this house came to mirror the turbulence of Tudor England caused by Henry VIII’s break with the Papacy and the Catholic Church. Many northern Lords had remained loyal to the Pope and they took up arms, first against the King in the Pilgrimage of Grace, and then against Queen Elizabeth I in the Northern Rebellion. Tasting defeat in both, Thomas Markenfield V realised that the family would not be forgiven a second time and consequently fled into exile, never to return.

The house is open on special days and does ‘Tiny Tours’. They are well worth watching out for and details can be found on their excellent website.

Phil