Harewood sits in the heart of Yorkshire and is one of the Treasure Houses of England. The House was built in the 18th century and boasts Robert Adams-designed interiors and a landscaped garden. It also has art collections to rival the finest in Britain. Take a day trip out of Leeds and discover exhibitions of contemporary art, a rare Bird Garden, the Farm Experience, and over 100 acres of exquisite gardens to explore. From the moment you arrive, Harewood captures your imagination and feeds your curiosity. It's a place filled with art, culture, and heritage which continues to develop and thrive today.
The Georgian house
Harewood House, built in the 1760s by Edwin Lascelles, is still home to the Lascelles family that claims to have arrived in England with William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England. In the late seventeenth century the family purchased plantations in the West Indies, and the income generated allowed Henry Lascelles to purchase the estate in 1738. His son, Edwin Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood, built the house between 1759 and 1771. Its architecture reflects the changing tastes and styles of the past 250 years. Come inside and you'll be blown away by rare Chippendale furniture and magnificent Robert Adam interior designs in the State Rooms. Make sure you leave time to explore the well-trodden corridors of Below Stairs, a place where young kitchen hands can get hands on with history, dress up, and discover life as a servant. You can also enjoy a changing program of contemporary art exhibitions in the Terrace Gallery—the first contemporary art gallery to be opened in a country house. It has welcomed artists including Sir Sidney Nolan, Antony Gormley, and Henry Moore. Harewood also boasts a world class collection of paintings by, among others, JMW Turner, Reynolds, Titian, and El Greco.
Award-wining terraces and rares birds
One of the Treasure Houses of England, the historic Georgian property sits within "Capability" Brown designed landscape with remarkable views from the award-winning Terraces. An Italianate Terrace, designed by Sir Charles Barry in the 1840s, stretches along the southern aspect of the House and provides stunning views over Yorkshire's most beautiful landscape and lake. Crafted by Lancelot "Capability" Brown, Harewood's landscape encompasses over 1000 acres and represents one of Brown's most famous vistas. Away from the formal gardens, Harewood also boasts the naturalistic Himalayan Garden which was redeveloped by Head Gardener, Trevor Nicholson. This space includes rare and exotic plants from Himalayan region. The Bird Garden at Harewood House also has a small collection of exotic bird species, of which more than 5 are listed as vulnerable or endangered by the IUCN. It is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA). Birds that can be seen in the garden include Humboldt penguins, Chilean flamingos, Duyvenbode's lories, and macaws. With bags of space to run around, a massive adventure playground, penguins, flamingos, and parrots, there's no shortage of adventure for kids and adults of all ages.
