The Yorkshire Post were here at Harewood today to photogrpah a new rose named ‘Yorkshire Princess’ in honour of HRH Princess Mary. Our Craft Gardener Helen Fletcher is shown with the rose in the Yorkshire Post piece.

We are introducing the new rose called ‘Yorkshire Princess’, dedicated to HRH the Princess Mary, Princess Royal, who lived here at Harewood for more than 30 years, to coincide with our Royal Harewood exhibition in this Diamond Jubilee year, .

Resembling an old-fashioned rose, this beautiful, but modest groundcover or patio rose, has a slight sweet scent, and is white with a delicate Orient Pink centre. Flowering throughout the summer, it is suitable for planting in rockeries, at the front of borders or alongside paths in cottage gardens, and will shortly be planted here at Harewood to commemorate the Princess’s contribution to the Gardens.

Trevor Nicholson, Head Gardener at Harewood House, said: “Princess Mary was a very keen gardener and plantswoman who made a significant impact on the gardens here, introducing many elements of the gardens which our visitors still enjoy today. She was particularly fond of roses and so, to mark this year’s special ‘Royal Harewood’ exhibition, a rose was the ideal way to create a lasting tribute. The pure white petal, soft blush centre and sweet scent give a traditional feel, in-keeping with old-style roses and perfect for a Yorkshire Princess.”

A limited number of Rosa ‘Yorkshire Princess’ will be available to purchase as a containerised shrub from the Harewood plant stall this summer, with new stock arriving in November 2013. You can register your interest by emailing us your contact details, and we’ll send you an update when further stock becomes available.

Bred in Northern Ireland by Dickson Nurseries, it is currently available to pre-order online as a root for potting from their website for delivery in November 2012.

We’ll be officially launching our new rose at the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show, staged at the Great Yorkshire Showground from 14-16 September, you can call the Ticket hotline on 01423 546157 or visit their website for more details of the show.

Our exhibition, Royal Harewood, celebrating the life of the Princess continues until the end of September.

Explore the gardens for yourself, from the breath-taking Terrace overlooking majestic ‘Capability’ Brown landscape, to the exotic plant hunters’ paradise of the Himalayan Garden and the delightful lakeside and woodland paths to the Walled Garden…

Find out more about the Gardens at Harewood…

The details:

Rosa ‘Yorkshire Princess’ – parentage Nice ‘n’ Easy x Regensberg; breeder Colin Dickson, Dickson Nurseries, Co Down; patio/groundcover; hybridised in 2005; blooms in clusters, white with hint of Orient pink; slight sweet scent; height 66cm, spread 65cm; flowers continuously throughout the summer.

Guests were met by the Earl and Countess of Harewood, and were invited to tour the new season exhibitions and artists’ responses in the Church and Terrace Gallery launching a medieval journey of discovery at Harewood which seeks to explore the history of this ancient landscape before the present Harewood House was built…

The evening began with a tour of the Castle, followed by a Pimms reception in the Church to celebrate the completeion of the development project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Churches Conservation Trust.

New works by artists Susan Collins and Eleanor Moreton were on display.

The Church is a hub for Medieval Harewood with the new ‘Medieval Harewood Information Point’ located in the Church Vestry, and guests were keen to explore inside this hidden gem of a building!

Find out about the Church on our webpages…

Guests were then able to view the exhibitions in the House, with the Terrace Gallery playing host to an exhibition of finds from the recent Gawthorpe Hall excavation, as well as new works by artist Diane Howse.

The Gawthorpe excavation itself was open to view, and guests were treated to a hog roast and medieval-style entertainments on the Terrace overlooking the Gawthorpe Dig Site.

You can explore Medieval Harewood this Summer… Find out more on our Medieval Harewood webpages…

This season’s exhibitions can be found in the church, throughout the grounds and in the Terrace Gallery.

Artists Simon Warner, Susan Collins, Eleanor Moreton and Diane Howse have created artistic responses to medieval Harewood;

performance tours, moving image, paintings and photography bring stories alive to evoke Harewood’s fascinating medieval past. In the Terrace Gallery you can also learn more about the newly excavated Gawthorpe Hall.

The Artists…

Diane Howse has responded to Medieval Harewood by photographing and digitally reconstructing the alabaster tombs of Harewood Church. The tombs would have originally been painted in full colour, and if you look closely at the effigies in the church, traces of original pigment can still be seen today. Diane has digitally recreated the colours that may have been used and her photographs give us a visual impression of the human beings that lived at Harewood.

Simon Warner is a Yorkshire based photographer and performance artist. Simon will be conducting theatrical walking tours of Harewood’s medieval history enhanced with an audio experience. Tours will take place on Tues 17th July, Weds 1st August, Tues 14th August & Mon 3rd September.

Places must be pre-booked by phone, visit our event pages for details….

Susan Collins is a film artist and is currently director of the Slade school of Fine Art, UCL. Susan has created a video intervention in the church as well as a moving photograph that can be viewed in full online. It can also be streamed on your smartphone to be viewed while experiencing Medieval Harewood.

Eleanor Moreton has been inspired by the history of sisters Elizabeth and Sibyl de Aldeburgh who became joint heiresses of Harewood Castle in 1388. Her paintings respond to the relationships and power structures between families at Harewood in the medieval period as well as the illuminated prayer books, the Books of Hours, people owned at that time.
Images courtesy of the artists, and Ceri Hand Gallery for Eleanor Moreton.

Medieval Harewood is an on-going project to explore Harewood’s medieval history before the present Harewood House was built. Join us on this journey of discovery as we peel back the layers of history, where a few short miles can cover several hundred years.

Find out more on our Medieval Harewood webpages…

PS!

Harewood Medieval Faire 2013 set to take place Late May Bank Holiday Weekend

Look out for details of next year’s Harewood Medieval Faire which is scheduled for late May Bank Holiday 2013! 

With its fresh make-over, new stock and designer interior, the shop isn’t about padded hangers and lavender bags.   Good on the eye, key brands are cleverly combined with local designers to give the shop a mix of must haves.  Gorgeous items include leading young artist Donna Wilson’s quirky creature furnishings, high quality meats farmed on the Harewood grounds, Sheffield based David Mellor’s exclusive tableware collection, sweet treats from Art of Mallows and Dixie Kitchen, and wine and beers, including Harewood’s very own Harewood Gold created from its home grown hops.

The Courtyard shop is under the successful and experienced direction of shop manager, Lynne Melton-Long, who specialises in high-end retail.  Lynne has succeeded in giving the shop a new lease of life. “Our vision is one of excellence; we’re really excited to stock some of the country’s best homewares and confectionaries supporting local farmers and designers.  We want the shopping experience at Harewood to be good on the eye as well as the tummy.  I’ve worked hard to source designer brands from all over the UK, including renowned purveyors of cheese and chutney to Her Majesty Paxton & Whitfield (incidentally the only suppliers of UK made pickled onions), wines from Latitude Wines and gift items from master cutler David Mellor.  Local designer items include paperware from The Wit Shop from Hyde Park in Leeds, Catherine Lascelles’s meats from Gray Montagne and breads from Bondgate Bakery in Otley.  If we can support emerging designers and sell their wares alongside the big boys, then our customers can set their own style and really enjoy the shopping experience.”

Lynne has a schedule of shopping events in the planning, with the first on 6th September with the Summer Night Market at the Courtyard, which includes live music, barbeque, wine and beer tastings, vintage clothing and loads more retail heaven.

The refreshed and re-stocked Courtyard Shop is open 10am to 5.30pm 7 days a week and sells designer house and food items, much sourced locally for the freshest and the very best, and table and giftware items from the UK’s favourite designers and manufacturers, some of whom  rarely supply outside of London. Call in on your next visit!

We made the news in the Independent’s heritage section with our all-new event spectacular the Harewood Medieval Faire…

If came thee hither, what-ho an event we had!

If you missed it, look out for e-updates to be the first to get your tickets for next year’s event! …And don’t forget, Medieval Harewood continues this summer with artists’ works & finds from the Gawthorpe dig, ceramics & stained glass workshops, and Castle, dig and theatrical tours.

Read more and book workshops & tours and online…

The Olympic Torch arrived at Harewood yesterday in style, medieval-style!

On Day 2 of the Yorkshire leg of its journey through Britain, the Torch was led down the main drive to Harewood House by a mounted knight in full armour on Hawthorn, a Friesian stallion to celebrate the upcomingMedieval Faire.

Three runners took turns in carrying the torch down the drive, Jonny Johnston, Roy Leinster and finishing with Janet Baker presenting the torch to HRH Princess Beatrice of York and Lord & Lady Harewood who greeted the Torch on the front steps of the House along with an army of Harewood staff and visitors.

The press turned out in force, the Yorkshire Post have a great video on their website, view it in this page or go to their website here.

12 schools from across the region were also at Harewood, performing their responses to the Olympics, with a selection of sporting, dance and musical performances. HRH Princess Beatrice took the time to meet the children as they were preparing to perform in front of the House.

The winning school on the day, as judged by Stephen Davidson the High Sherriff of West Yorkshire and his wife Carol, was Highfield Primary School, Moortown. Their winning performance was created and performed by Mr Brassil’s Year 5 class, and was called “Olympic Play”. The judges loved the variety of their piece, and the pupils won an annual pass for the school to visit Harewood once a month for a year.

David Lascelles, Lord Harewood said: ‘As an educational charitable trust, we’re keen to encourage and involve children in our celebrations and it was inspirational to see their interpretation of what the Olympics means to them through their superb performances.  This is a moment in time for all of them and it’s been a pleasure to welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice to be a part of our day today to celebrate the Torch’s arrival.’

Further images can be found on our Facebook page…