Raby Castle
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Every room in Raby Castle, from the magnificent Barons' Hall, where 700 knights gathered to plot the 'Rising of the North', to the Mediaeval Kitchen which was used until 1954, gives an insight to life throughout the ages. Despite its powerful exterior of towers and fortifications, Raby houses a fabulous art collection and splendid interiors. Treasures include an important collection of Meissen porcelain, tapestries, furnishings and paintings by leading artists such as Munnings, De Hooch, Teniers, Van Dyck and Reynolds. The 200 acre (80ha) deer park surrounding Raby Castle has Red deer, the largest British wild land mammal, and the smaller Fallow deer - both herds containing the desendants of deer preserved in this area since Norman times. The Walled Garden Although there would have been a small garden at Raby during the Middle Ages to provide the herbs and plants needed for medicines, it was not until the mid-18th century that a formal garden was established, designed by Thomas Wright. The Coach House now houses 18th and 19th century coaches and carriages. You can see 18th century travelling chariots, bearing the arms of the Earl of Darlington, the Raby State Coach, built in the early 19th century for the Duke of Cleveland, and hand operated horse drawnfire engines. | |||||||||||||||||||