Beautiful Castle Howard on a Wet Day

 

Few people could not be moved to wonderment at the first glimpse of Castle Howard from across the Lake. As you travel towards the stately home, you feel an absolute burst of excitement!

I have loved Castle Howard all my life from first hearing of its wonders from my father who as station officer at the fire station here in Malton had the wonderful job of inspecting all the fire safety procedures within the great house....my father liked to say how he had taken tea there ;)-

I am sure that he would have loved that treat very much!

I also remember but the memories are vague so please feel free to correct me if I am wrong but Lady Howard had a little dress shop here in Malton at some point in the 1970's. My mum was particularly fond of it and many a frock was purchased for me to my horror, I am sure the frocks were just beautiful but I really liked my flares and t'shirts at the time, being very much a Tom Boy!

As Horace Walpole, the writer and politician said in 1772,  "Nobody had informed me that I should at one view see a palace, a town, a fortified city, temples on high places, woods worthy of being each a metropolis of the druids, vales connected to hills by other woods, the noblest lawn in the world fenced by half the horizon , and a mausoleum that would tempt one to be buried alive ;in short I have seen gigantic places before but never a sublime one. "

Amazing description of one so beautiful, the noble and breath taking Castle Howard!

Above are serene and beautiful pictures of just a few things to see when lock-down ends and the house opens up for visitors.

At the moment though the grass is so green and magical and the water calm, the swans and other birds have their peace and the natural world blooms in early spring time or very nearly....snowdrops abound and the birds are beginning possibly look for a mate in the heaven of their homes....new life will flourish and joy will abound in this metropolis of beauty.