 Highclere Castle
Highclere was established as the ancestral home of the Herbert family nearly
300 years ago, when a modest stuccoed mansion was inherited by the Countess
of Pembroke's son. During the 1840s this plain building was
transformed by Sir Charles Barry into the palatial house that now proudly
surveys 'Capability' Brown's landscaped grounds.
Henry Herbert had the title of 'Earl of Carnarvon' bestowed upon him by George III in 1780
for his diplomacy and courage when handling a difficult political situation
at the time of the Gordon Riots, and this title has been carried through
the line of succession to the present day. It was the 3rd Earl
who demanded that his home should reflect the wealth and importance of
his status, and he commissioned Barry to create an ostentatious, country
gentleman's home. The elaborate stone carvings, and the numerous
'gothic' pinnacles are an unmistakable trademark of the Victorian
era, when everything tended to be exaggerated almost to the point of saturation.
Barry, renowned for his reconstruction of the Houses of Parliament in
the late Perpendicular style, apparently preferred the 'Anglo-Italian'
style of architecture he created for Highclere Castle. The ingenious combination
of several dominant features from different building periods, produced
a façade that was both magnificent and timeless.
Inside Highclere Castle is no less extravagant, and an awesome sight awaits the visitor. The library is
a luxurious male sanctity of mahogany, gold and red - another Charles
Barry masterpiece, bearing some resemblance to the London Reform Club
library he had previously designed. Another distinctly male domain is
the Victorian smoking room, furnished with rich, dark leather and wood.
Undoubtedly the 'piece de resistance' is the saloon, dating
from the 1860s and created by Thomas Allom. It is a pure indulgence
of stone carving, lavishly decorating the many arches, columns and corbels
in the large, galleried room. With leather wall hangings, tapestries
and coats of arms abundantly displayed, this was the height of gothic
décor. This contrasts quite dramatically with the entrance hall, which
is in the style of pure church gothic. Beautiful clustered columns
branching out to form a heavy fan-vaulted ceiling, and a mass of heraldic beasts
among the highly decorative ceiling bosses. It is more than reasonable
to assume that the great Victorian church restorer, Sir George Gilbert
Scott, had a hand in designing this area of Highclere Castle.
But it is not just the building that is fascinating. The Earls have had diverse careers, and wide-ranging
interests, which gives the house its unique blend of art, family memorabilia
and special collections. Political careers were followed by the first
four Earls, although it was the 4th Earl who was most successful,
becoming Secretary of State and playing an important role in the development
of the British Empire. The 5th Earl of Carnarvon was an avid
Egyptologist, entering the 'hall of fame' when, with Howard
Carter, he discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922.
Since 1907 Lord Carnarvon had spent the winter months in Egypt and, during those 15 years, he had
made some astonishing finds. Many artefacts were shipped back to Highclere Castle
and an impressive collection is now exhibited in the cellars. It was also
the 5th Earl that established the Highclere Stud, so beginning
his descendants' obsession with horseracing. Indeed, the 6th Earl
bred the 1930 Derby winner 'Blenheim', and was a top amateur
rider himself. The present Earl followed the tradition, becoming Racing
Manager to The Queen, and modernising the Stud to continue breeding group winners. |
