Two giant female Andean condors have arrived at Harewood House Bird Garden this week, as part of the charity’s work to proactively take part in the preservation and continuation of endangered species.

Babs and Janina will live in the newly revamped large enclosure at Harewood, where they have already drawn visitors to discover more about them. Harewood House Trust has joined the European breeding programme, where it will host and care for birds who are being readied to be paired off for breeding.

Nick Dowling, Bird Garden & Farm Experience Manager at Harewood, says; “We’re really excited about the arrival of these two impressive birds, there have never been Condors in Harewood’s history and they will be a valued addition to the Bird Garden’s significant Collection.
“Andean Condors are classified as near-threatened and there are very few in UK collections. We will be caring for these birds, holding them in reserve for when a suitable male becomes available as part of the breeding programme.”

The Andean condor is part of the vulture family and is native to South America. It is the largest flying bird in the world. Janina has been brought to Harewood from Ostrava Zoo in the Czech Republic, whilst Babs arrives from Lotherton on Thursday 31 October, Halloween.

Babs has lived at Lotherton since 2009 and has been a big favourite for both staff and visitors.

Robert Young, Head Keeper at Lotherton says; “We’re so happy Babs is going to a new home not so far away at Harewood. With the species in decline, it is important that we continue our work with the European Endangered Species breeding programme for this species. This exchange is just one of the actions that make up Lotherton’s commitment to conservation and aid in the long-term survival of the species we hold in zoos.”

Condors can live up to the age of 60 and these birds are 26 and 33 years old. Babs has previously had eggs.

Keep up to date with bird stories from Harewood on #TakeoverTuesday @HarewoodHouse

Here’s an early Christmas present for you…

This year is the 25th Birthday of The National Lottery, and when Harewood reopens for our Christmas season on Saturday 23 November, we’re delighted to announce that we will be a part of the National Lottery celebrations by joining in the #ThanksToYou campaign, a UK-wide celebration of the contribution of National Lottery players in supporting good causes over the past 25 years!

As a recipient of National Lottery funding ourselves, we’re astounded to learn that since The National Lottery’s first draw took place on 19 November 1994, more than £40 billion has been raised for good causes in the areas of arts, sport, heritage and community – that’s £30 million a week making a difference to lives of people and communities throughout the whole of the UK.

From Saturday 23 November to Sunday 1 December, if you show your National Lottery ticket, scratchcard or digital version at ticket entry, we’re offering you 50% off the ticket price, so £8.75 for adults and £4.50 for children aged 4 to 17.

Anyone who presents any National Lottery ticket on these dates will be able to take up this special offer. Please check our full terms and conditions below.

Keep an eye on our social media for more stories and information about the #ThanksToYou campaign @HarewoodHouse

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Terms and Conditions

Valid only from Saturday 23 November to Sunday 1 December 2019

You can only take advantage of this offer once, and as such will be asked for your surname and post code; we will also record your ticket or scratch-card unique ID number *

All National Lottery Games qualify (all draw-based games and Scratch-cards); proof of purchase can be hard copy paper or digital tickets; draw dates must be within the last month, or a future draw date

Cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion

This offer has no cash value

Tickets are non-refundable

Tickets bought in advance at full price cannot be refunded and re-bought using this offer

The discount using one ticket or scratch-card applies to up to four people (any combination of adults and children)

A draw-ticket counts as one single ticket, regardless of how many lines or additional bonuses have been purchased on the ticket

Purchase is available on gate entry only, and no advance booking is required

Harewood House Trust maintains the right to refuse entry

General terms and conditions apply

* your data will only be stored temporarily in conjunction with this offer, and will not be added to any other database nor used for any other purpose

Autumn Glory and half term will be celebrated next week, including a guest chef appearance in the Below Stairs Kitchen from former Great British Bake-Off contestant, and Yorkshire champion, Sandie Docherty.

We asked Sandy what five things she loves about autumn…

1. What’s your favourite dish to cook in autumn and why?
I think my favourite dish for Autumn has to be Pie, made in advance and cooked to perfection. That warm inviting crust can be served with veg, salad or chips or let’s face it, eaten by itself. All fillings can have pastry wrapped round them. Pie can make the unattractive look fabulous. Pastry after all is the culinary equivalent to Lycra!!

2. What 3 ingredients can you not live without during autumn?
3 ingredients I cannot live without during autumn would be; flour, eggs and butter. This means on those chilly autumn days baking can happen and that’s a good thing.

3. Fireside chats in woolly socks or blow the cobwebs away walks in muddy boots – what’s your preference?
Fireside chats or good walks, can I choose both? One good walk is surely followed by cosy fireside chats.?

4. What are you going to be cooking at Harewood for half term?
I thought a sticky Ginger sponge as it is very seasonal and easy to make, no decorations are needed and it’s fabulous with custard. While its baking I thought I’d make some light fluffy buttermilk pancakes, something that can be made over the holidays with the children.

5. Why cook and bake?
I know we have to cook to feed our families, but there is also another reason. In this mad world, time is moving fast and we don’t always know what our successes look like. We need to remember that we are successful and that our successes come in small quick fix pieces, such as a tray of scones.

Sandy will be at Harewood demonstrating cooking on Tuesday 29 October, from 1-3pm. 

Follow us on social media @HarewoodHouse to keep up to date with news and stories.

Digging in the Walled Garden, creating a pin-hole camera to capture inspirational scenery, and enjoying behind the scenes activities in the Bird Garden, these are just a few of the sessions on offer as Harewood House Trust launches its first Half Term Holiday Club for 7-12-year olds.

As research continues to highlight the positive benefits on children of learning outdoors, Harewood is launching a week of full-time parent-free holiday activities for up to 15 children each day.

Kathryn Welford, Learning Manager, says; “We’re really excited to be launching our first Holiday Club this half term. Our recent Small Wonders Sessions for under-5s have been going well and as a trial we wanted to extend this amazing learning opportunity and tailor it to older children. There are so many opportunities for engaging learning at Harewood and the Holiday Club will be a relaxed and informal environment for kids to really learn about themselves and learn something new. It should be great fun.”

Whilst the sessions for the  Holiday Club will be based both inside and outside, the outdoor learning experiences will teach those taking part to not only adapt to new environments, but to develop their curiosity and independence, from games and play to making and creating. Where else can you see penguins and learn about their environment and the threats they face? How did the families of hundreds of years ago feed themselves and their communities from the land, in a garden that still grows and feeds today? And surely there are spooky stories to unearth from the big House on the hill?

Half Term Holiday Club runs 28 October – 1 November, from 10am-4pm. No adults allowed!

To find out more see here or email kathryn.w@harewood.org

Harewood’s Renaissance masterpiece Allegory by Domenikos Theotokopoulos (known as El Greco, the Greek) will be leaving the House for a short while for a trip to Paris where it will be on show as part of a major retrospective of the artist’s work at the Grand Palais.

The exhibition will be on from 14th October 2019 until 10th February 2020 and will be the first major El Greco exhibition in France for many years. Some works will then tour to the Art Institute of Chicago but Allegory will come home to Harewood,  due back in time for opening in March 2020.

The painting, whose full title is full title An Allegory with a Woman lighting a Candle in the Company of an Ape and a Fool (‘Fábula’,) dates from around 1577. It was bought by Henry, Viscount Lascelles, (later 6th Earl of Harewood) in 1917 after he inherited a large amount of money from his great uncle, the 2nd Marquess of Clanricarde. As a young man Henry had developed an interest in Italian pictures, his inheritance allowed him to indulge his passion and amass the collection which is on display at Harewood today.

El Greco was born in Crete in 1541, trained as an artist in Venice and in the 1570s settled in Toledo, Spain, where he died in 1614. He often made several versions of his works; Harewood’s Allegory is one of three known versions and is the only one being lent to this exhibition. It is also the best preserved and the only one which is signed by the artist. El Greco had fallen out of favour somewhat as an artist when Henry purchased the painting, so it is an unusual work to find in a country house. The painting will feature in the exhibition catalogue and a new publication El Greco: Ambition and Defiance which is due to be published in 2020.

As part of the preparation for the exhibition, the painting will be undergoing minor conservation work including a surface clean and re-varnish, so it will return looking a little lighter and brighter than it does now.

Paula Martin, Collections Manager at Harewood said; “This is the first major retrospective of El Greco’s work to be shown in France so we’re delighted to be able to lend this iconic work. It’s the first time the painting has left Harewood in 15 years, and although it will be missed, it means that a whole new audience will be able to see and appreciate it.”

You can keep following our news and stories on our social media channels @HarewoodHouse