“The last twelve months have left us all a little battered and bruised but so thankful and humbled by the incredible support you’ve shown us”

In advance of Harewood Food and Drink Project returning to the Courtyard Cafe on 29 March, Eddy Lascelles reflects on the past twelve months in the latest HF&DP blog. 

I began writing this on 21 March,  which is a year to the day that we took on the running of the catering on behalf of Harewood House Trust at the Courtyard Cafe and the Terrace Tearoom. You could say that things haven’t quite gone according to plan.

The last twelve months have left us all a little battered and bruised but so thankful and humbled by the incredible support you’ve shown us, a huge thank you from all the team here. We’ve never felt more excited and motivated for the future, and we think you should be too.

We’ve had more openings, closures, cans and cannots than we can count, at times it’s been tough, but hopefully the end is now in sight.

As spring is sprung there’s plenty to look forward to. The landscape starts to show signs of life having laid dormant over the Winter months.

Spring at Harewood  – Brighter Times on the Horizon

The first daffodils of the year are always cause for celebration and optimism for the year ahead, as well creating a beautiful display all around the Estate. The Cherry Blossom will soon burst in to life, a stunning spectacle which takes on spiritual connotations in Japan.

All in all, there’s plenty to be optimistic about :

• Muddy Boots Café is open again and running a specials board with some great dishes cooked by chefs Iain and Callum.
• The Courtyard Café reopens for takeaways on the 29^th March. Keep reading for what to expect.
• We’ll announce plans for reopening the Terrace Tearoom in due course.
• We’ll soon be announcing a series of exciting events we’re working on. Keep your eyes peeled for updates, or sign up to our mailing list. These are not to be missed.

If you’re visiting the Courtyard Café, expect a variety of seasonal hot and cold savoury and sweet dishes made by our team of chefs and local independent artisan suppliers.

Hebridean Black Sheep

It’s difficult to talk about Spring at Harewood without talking about Harewood Lamb. Or, in this case Hebridean Hogget.

Visitors to Harewood will probably have seen the flock of Hebridean Black Sheep grazing much of the year on the South Front, between the House and the Lake. In the next few weeks you’ll start to see adorable little black lambs appearing amongst the flock.

As the name suggests, the “Hebs” are indigenous to the island of St Kilda in the Outer Hebrides. They were brought here by the 5th Earl in the 1880’s after he’d seen them visiting friends in Northumberland. They’ve settled in well and have been a feature on the landscape ever since. If they’re younger than one-year they’re classed as Lamb and older than two years is known as Mutton.

Harewood at Home // Easter Special

Hebridean Hogget will be the main feature for our upcoming Harewood at Home // Easter Special. Harewood at Home is our premium takeout offering which has proven to be so successful throughout the last two lockdowns. Expect a decadent three course meal prepared by Josh. His menu sees a twist on familiar Easter classics such as Hot Cross Buns, Spring Lamb, Easter (Duck) Eggs and, of course, Chocolate.

The menu heavily features Harewood produce throughout the menu, from the land, from the farm and from the gardens. Great food, you can feel good about! The “Hebs” will also feature in our Harewood Spring Lamb Stew served with Wild Garlic Dumplings, available from the Courtyard Café, which is another thing that’s abundant around the Estate for the next couple of months.

Go to the link at the bottom of the page to see the full menu and booking details.

The Next Generation 

This week marked another milestone for HF & DP as we presented our first ever apprentice, Callum, with the certificate of his apprenticeship. He passed with a distinction – here’s Callum being presented with his certificate by Eddy, Josh and Fliss.

When we set up HF & DP, we wanted to create an environment where the next generation could learn and develop. Seeing Callum develop both professionally and personally is something we’re extremely proud of.

Since joining us almost three years ago, Callum’s become an integral part of our team, Josh Whitehead’s sidekick, a Muddy Boots maestro and you’ll find him regularly let loose running the pots and pans at Muddy Boots Bistro evenings.

Developing the stars of tomorrow is key to HF & DP’s mission, so to see Callum’s development is a real privilege. Following hot in his footsteps we’ve taken on three new apprentices, one in the kitchen and two front of house: We’re sure that Jasmine, Annabelle and James will prove to be equally as successful in their careers.

With talents like these, the future of the industry is in good hands.

Welcome back to the Courtyard Café

Harewood Spring Lamb Stew with Wild Garlic Dumplings, available at the Courtyard Cafe

We’re delighted to be back running the Courtyard Café and there’s plenty to enjoy on our new menus, as well as classic favourites. As well as the Harewood Spring Lamb Stew served with Wild Garlic Dumplings, you can expect the return of our fish and chips with a difference, a Northern Monk Ale Battered Haddock with Skin on Chips, Minted Mushy Peas and Home-Made Tartar Sauce. It developed an almost cult following last year. We source all our fish from the brilliant Tarbetts Fishmongers, based in nearby Chapel Allerton, a must visit if you’re looking for great fresh fish.

The legendary Courtyard Café Fish and Chips

For those with a sweet tooth, you’ll find a range of bakes, cakes and brownies made by local artisan bakers Bakeri Baltzersens and Jodie Bakes – we highly recommend the Cruffin, a hybrid between a croissant and a muffin. Yes, it is as good as it sounds.

Have you tried the Cruffins from Bakeri Baltzersens? They are as good as they look.

For coffee lovers, expect the best, made by local independent roastery North Star Coffee.

It’s good to be back, we can’t wait to welcome you to Harewood again.

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Go to our booking page https://www.exploretock.com/harewood/

‘You are often dealing with an element of the unknown … there may be structural issues that tell an important part of the Terrace story.’

Over the last year, visitors will have noticed barriers surrounding areas of the Terrace – this was due to the deterioration of the historic balustrade, which was no longer deemed safe for visitors. 

Built in the 1840s by Sir Charles Barry, best known as the architect of the Houses of Parliament in London, the Italianate Terrace is the largest of his projects at Harewood, which also included major alterations and improvements to the house itself, all commissioned by Louisa, Third Countess of Harewood, whose portrait hangs in the Dining Room.

Louisa, 3rd Countess of Harewood standing on the Terrace. George Richmond, c.1855.

Historic England’s Emergency Heritage fund

The work to repair the balustrade and ensure its safety  was stalled due to the pandemic, the closure of the site for three months and the subsequent loss of income. Following our reopening in the summer, as part of a joint application with four other Treasure Houses of England, we were delighted to receive a significant grant from Historic England as part of their Covid-19 Emergency Heritage at Risk Response Fund, meaning the work could begin again.

From November onwards, the Dobsons team have been working hard to restore the balustrade to its former glory. The main tasks included the strengthening and damp proofing of the undercroft rooms that sit below the Parterre, as well as replacing a number of the carved stone ‘bottles’ along the balustrade itself.

No simple task

Work such as this is no simple task, and a team from Pearce Bottomley Architects were brought in as specialist conservation advisors on the South Terrace repair works, which involved reviewing the work carried out by the project team and providing specialist advice and recommendations.

‘We discovered a lead lining to the brick vaults which was presumably installed by the Victorians’

“When working on historic buildings you are often dealing with an element of the unknown. There may be structural issues that are not apparent until the opening up works start or even hidden archaeology that can reveal itself throughout the project. During the opening up works on the South Terrace we discovered a lead lining to the brick vaults which was presumably installed by the Victorians to act as waterproof membrane. This is an unusual and unique technique which we felt told an important part of the Terrace story. Therefore the lead lining remained in situ and we carefully placed a new modern waterproof membrane on top to redirect the water which was leaching into the brick vaults.”

The South Terrace Undercroft and the lead lined vaults. Photo credit PB Architects.

Some of the decayed bottles on the balustrade. Photo credit PB Architects.

Along the balustrade, several bottles needed to be replaced, ensuring the historical accuracy of the replaced bottles, whilst also ensuring their longevity. To do so, one of the existing stone bottles was carefully removed from the balustrade, taken to M&G stone workshops based in Keighley where it was used to create a template for the new ones. New stone, sourced from a local quarry at Leeming in Clitheroe, was selected due to its similar colouring and properties to the historic stone. When the work was being done, it became clear that there had been a number of replacements over the years, in different materials including some concrete bottles inserted in the 1960s.

Protecting it from the Yorkshire weather

The South Terrace is of course exposed to all sorts of Yorkshire weather, and as PBA explains, “’to ensure longevity it is important to consider the compatibility of materials, for example the lime mortar used must be more porous than the stone. The mortar acts as a sacrificial layer and draws moisture through it via capillary action so the stone remains as dry as possible. Water is the biggest enemy in terms of stone deterioration, so making sure the stone is protected by drip mouldings and repairing these if they are damaged to ensure water is directed away from the stonework’.”.

The work has now been completed and visitors can once again enjoy walking along the balustrade and taking in the stunning Capability Brown landscapes. Why not also see if you can spot which bottles are new on your next visit ? 

The finished balustrade.

Special thanks to Pearce Bottomley Architects for their work and contribution to this blog and Dobsons Construction Ltd for undertaking the restoration work. 

The Terrace Balustrade Restoration was funded by Historic England and DCMS as part of their Programmes of Major Works grants and we are incredibly grateful to DCMS and Historic England for generously supporting this as part of the Culture Recovery Fund. 

Harewood is delighted to have received just under £50,000 of National Lottery support to help sustain the Trust and fund crucial projects following the impact of Covid-19 on the heritage industry.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown began, Harewood has, like many culture and visitor attractions, seen irreparable financial impact, with 14 weeks of unavoidable closure. The Trust now faces £1 million deficit this financial year. Despite major efforts to offset such losses, through encouraging Membership, launching bespoke premium events and tour opportunities, and launching an Appeal for the Harewood Bird Garden raising £8,000 generously donated by members of the public, the Trust is incapable of bridging such a gap without assistance.

Jane Marriott, Director of Harewood House Trust, said:
‘We are delighted to be the recipients of this crucial funding and thanks to National Lottery Players we can now move forwards with renewed positivity and vigour as we plan Harewood’s future and its vital place in our community just outside Leeds. The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s support has become a vital lifeline at this time in ensuring this country’s world-renowned heritage places, something we and all our colleagues are passionate about sustaining for everyone to enjoy for the future.’
The funding, made possible by National Lottery players, was awarded through The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Heritage Emergency Fund. £50million has been made available to provide emergency funding for those most in need across the heritage sector. The UK-wide fund will address both immediate emergency actions and help organisations to start thinking about recovery.

Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:
‘Heritage has an essential role to play in making communities better places to live, supporting economic regeneration and benefiting our personal wellbeing. All of these things are going to
be even more important as we emerge from this current crisis.

‘Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players we are pleased to be able to lend our support to organisations such as Harewood during this uncertain time.’

Harewood House Trust plans to use part of this fund to launch a significant Member engagement and recruitment campaign, ensuring the Trust’s long-term future with sustainable, secure income whilst continuing to grow its community.

Garden how-to’s from Trevor, Head Gardener of 20 years, behind the scenes tours of the Collections with curators and an insight into a day in the life of a Bird Keeper are just some of our content presented daily online as part of Harewood at Home.

As the gates to Harewood have remained closed over the past three months, the virtual doors were opened wide from the beginning of lockdown, with daily online content made possible through new funding from Art Fund, the national fundraising charity for art.

To date, highlights have included podcasts with bird keepers, live creating sessions with plasticine model maker Jim Parkyn, a walking tour of the Himalayan Garden with the 8th Earl, David Lascelles, and video interviews with Rebecca Burton, Assistant Curator. Harewood has created hands-on learning and gardening tutorials and also used the charity as a platform to showcase contemporary artists and their work.

Emily Booker, Development Manager at Harewood said, “It’s great news that we received this additional and vital funding support at this time. Harewood is a charity, and as such we feel we have a duty to share the Collections at Harewood with the public. We’re working hard to create the best quality stories and insight online, and share this as far and wide as possible, to hopefully create some benefit for people at this difficult time. Grants like these enable us to reach more people in increasingly creative ways.”

The grant of £3,300 has been used to better equip the content team and charity with technology, enabling Harewood to work with external specialists for podcasts and film making and creating an opportunity to evaluate and adapt content to the audiences online.

There’s still plenty of content to come, as the House will remain closed once the garden reopens to the public early next month.

Keep up to date with Harewood on Social Media @HarewoodHouse

With grateful support from Art Fund.