Harewood House as of 2005, seen from the garden

Harewood House from A Complete History of the County of York by Thomas Allen (1828–30), showing the house before Barry altered the facades and added an extra storey to the pavilions.

The house was built from 1759 to 1771 for the Lascelles family, who had bought the estate after making their fortune in the West Indies through Customs positions, slave trading and lending money to planters. The house was designed by the architects John Carr and Robert Adam . Much of the furniture is by the 18th-century English furniture designer, Thomas Chippendale , who came from nearby Otley .

The house served as a convalescent hospital during both World War I and World War II and has a long history of taking visitors interested in its imposing architecture, and collections of paintings. The first guidebook to Harewood House was published early in the nineteenth century.

Lancelot "Capability" Brown designed the grounds to which Sir Charles Barry later added a grand terrace.

There is often debate as to the exact pronuciation of the word 'Harewood'. Typically pronounced 'Hare-wood', there are also other variations including 'Haar-wood', with the 'e' being deemed silent.

The house is still the family home of the Lascelles family. Lord Harewood, George Lascelles , is the seventh Earl . His mother was Mary, Princess Royal , daughter of King George V and Queen Mary .

The estate has been transferred into a trust ownership structure, and as a result is managed by Harewood House Trust and is open to the public throughout the year. Harewood won the Visitor Attraction of the Year award in 1994 and remains a popular Yorkshire tourist attraction. As well as tours of the house and grounds, visitors can enjoy the japanese gardens, an educational bird garden, adventure playground and local teas and delicacies.

External links

{{Treasure Houses of England}}

<Historic houses in West Yorkshire>
<Gardens in West Yorkshire>
<Visitor attractions in West Yorkshire>
<Listed Buildings in Leeds>
<Grade I listed buildings>
<1771 architecture>

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