BY ALLISON LEE
Raby Castle, Park and Gardens is set in picturesque parkland where both red and fallow deer roam near Staindrop in County Durham.
Today, Raby Castle’s custodians are Lord and Lady Barnard and with the team around them, they were the driving force behind an exciting three-year major development in the castle grounds to create a new leading lifestyle destination for the north east, which opened in 2024.
Leaving a legacy behind them to safeguard the future of Raby was one of the prime motivations behind the development for Lord and Lady Barnard, alongside celebrating Raby Castle’s place at the heart of the local community, restoring historic buildings, elevating the visitor experience to create a leading tourist destination in the north of England and making Raby Estate a place to be proud of for future generations.
The ambitious programme was part of a phased project initially delivering a woodland adventure playground, The Plotters’ Forest, and expanded car park facilities. In June 2024, the scheme culminated in carefully thought through hospitality, retail, restaurant and events spaces, all tied together within beautifully landscaped grounds.
The programme also included the renovation and restoration of historic buildings – some of which had never been open to the public. The Dutch Barn was one of the Estate’s best-kept secrets and with its exposed beams and intriguing chimney stacks now restored, these make The Dutch Barn an architectural attraction in its own right. The elegant, arcaded construction provides cover for stalls, exhibitions, networking and more and now hosts Raby’s famous seasonal markets.
The reimagined Riding School is an 18th century architectural gem which serves as a flexible event space, with plenty of its individual character retained along the way, from its textured walls and authentically irregular lines shaped by centuries of use to solid timber beams.
Alongside this, new structures created during the development include The Vinery Café, a stylish and airy recreation of the historic glass house which once stood on the same spot which seats over 200 people with panoramic views of the castle, serving food inspired by and sourced from across the Raby Estate. There’s also the Coach House which is home to a stylish retail space and free to visit exhibition with an audio-visual table showcasing the Upper Teesdale Estate and giving visitors a taste of the estate’s history before visiting the wider site.
The Walled Gardens
The remodelling of the 18th century Walled Gardens was a key aspect of the development scheme. Lady Barnard appointed world renowned garden designer, Luciano Giubbilei to work with her on the tremendous design and this was his first public garden.
A close-working partnership formed between them: Lady Barnard’s creative vision and Luciano’s reputation for transforming spaces across the world has resulted in an inspirational remodelling of the historic Walled Gardens at Raby Castle.
The transformation of the East Garden included the creation of a unique nine-tiered grass ampitheatre for outdoor events, alongside romantic woodland walks and a perennial flower garden.
The Formal Garden comprises a series of unique mazes alongside the historic Raby yew hedge, with a graceful rill flowing north to south, adding the tranquil sounds and sight of water to complement this calm space.
The adjacent West Garden is the productive space, combining raised beds growing seasonal vegetables, a greenhouse displaying hot house plants and a cut flower garden full of roses, peonies, dahlias and sweet peas.
Raby Castle
Raby Castle is one of the most impressive intact castles in England, built by the powerful Nevilles in the 14th century and has been home to the Vane family for nearly 400 years. The castle was previously home to Cecily Nevill, mother of two kings of England and it was also the scene of the plotting of the Rising of the North and a Parliamentary stronghold during the Civil War.
The approach to the castle is particularly beautiful as its towers appear and disappear amongst the trees of the surrounding parkland with its ornamental lakes and herds of deer. Much of the exterior with medieval towers, terrace and embattled walls dates back to the 14th century.
Behind its powerful fortifications, Raby Castle is home to many Medieval, Regency and Victorian interiors as well as a range of art, textiles and furniture from England and Europe dating from the 17th to the 21st century. Porcelain and sculpture ranging from the significant Greek Slave Statue to an early collection of Meissen birds are also showcased in the rooms.
Events
Raby Castle, Park and Gardens has a diverse and extensive events calendar, designed to appeal to a variety of ages and interests. Some upcoming highlights include Raby’s Easter Food and Craft Market (3-6 April), Spring Garden Fair (23-25 May) as well as a selection of gardening workshops, secret buildings of Raby tours, and glasshouse afternoon teas in the Vinery (available Monday to Saturday).
More details can be found on Raby’s what’s on page: www.raby.co.uk/raby-castle/whats-on/
High Force Hotel and Waterfall
Also, part of the Raby Estate, just 30 minutes’ drive from Raby Castle and situated within the North Pennines National Landscape and European Geopark, is the spectacular High Force Waterfall, one of the most magnificent waterfalls in the UK.
Part of the River Tees, the waterfall has an awe inspiring 21 metre cascade into the ancient rocks dating back over 300 million years. Visitors can follow the beautiful circular woodland trail to base of the falls to see the natural wonder.
Just a stone’s throw from this outstanding natural landmark and miles of country walks through scenic Upper Teesdale is High Force Hotel, a rural retreat with 10 individually styled en-suite rooms packed with character, warmth and charm. High Force Hotel and Waterfall is an incredibly popular destination for a country walk, hearty Sunday lunch and a superb stay in the most stunning surroundings of Upper Teesdale.
Allison Lee is a smallholder from North Yorkshire who has written for the Yorkshire Times and other publications. Her website can be accessed here.