Harewood House

A Visitor’s Guide to the History of Harewood House

Quick Facts

• Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, England

• Built: 1759–1771

• Architects: John Carr (exterior), Robert Adam (interiors), Sir Charles Barry (19th-century changes)

• Family Seat of: The Lascelles family (Earls of Harewood)

• Today: Managed by the Harewood House Trust, open to visitors most of the year

Timeline of Harewood

Medieval beginnings

• Harewood Castle and Gawthorpe Hall formed the original estates.

• Merged into one estate in the late 1600s.

1696

• Sold to London merchant Sir John Cutler.

1721

• Bought by the Lascelles family, who made their fortune in the West Indies.

1738

• Henry Lascelles purchases the estate.

1759–1771

• Edwin Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood, builds Harewood House.

• Architect John Carr designs the exterior; Robert Adam creates elegant interiors.

1840s

• Sir Charles Barry modernises Harewood for the 3rd Earl, adding extra bedrooms, terraces, and formal gardens.

1922

• Viscount Lascelles (later 6th Earl) marries Princess Mary, daughter of King George V.

• The royal couple make Harewood their home from 1929.

1939–1945

• The house is used as a convalescent hospital during WWII.

1965

• Princess Mary passes away at Harewood.

2009

• Wins Large Visitor Attraction of the Year at the national Excellence in England awards.

2023

• Closure of the Bird Garden, with plans to redevelop the area into a woodland garden.

Highlights for Visitors

🏠 The House

• Grand Georgian design: a masterpiece of 18th-century architecture.

• Robert Adam interiors: some of the most refined neoclassical rooms in England.

• Art collection: Renaissance paintings, portraits by Reynolds, Lawrence, and Hoppner, alongside modern works.

🌳 The Grounds

• Over 100 acres of gardens, from formal terraces to wild landscapes.

• Himalayan Garden & Stupa: a tranquil retreat with rare plants.

• All Saints’ Church: medieval alabaster tombs of the Harewood family.

• Adventure playground for younger visitors.

• Former home of the Yorkshire Planetarium (2007–2008).

🐦 Bird Garden & Farm (1970–2023)

• Home to exotic birds including penguins and flamingos.

• Closed in 2023 due to repair costs; the area is being transformed into a new woodland garden.

• The Farm Experience remains open.

Cultural Connections

• Art: J. M. W. Turner painted Harewood’s landscape (1797–8).

• Film & TV: Featured in Emmerdale, Victoria, Downton Abbey (2019 film), King Ralph, and BBC’s Mary Berry’s Country House at Christmas.

• Music: Concerts by Elton John (1999) and Westlife (2006).

• Heritage: Linked with Britain’s colonial past and the transatlantic slave trade—openly acknowledged today through talks, documentaries, and exhibitions.

Today at Harewood

• Home of David Lascelles, 8th Earl of Harewood.

• Operated by the Harewood House Trust, ensuring the estate is preserved for future generations.

• Open to the public with seasonal exhibitions, guided tours, gardens, family activities, and special events.

✨ Whether you’re drawn to its royal connections, stunning architecture, peaceful gardens, or cultural heritage, Harewood House offers a rich experience for every visitor.

Harewood House

Christmas in Harrogate