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Simon Warner’s Theatrical Tours go down a treat!

Simon in the guise of John Jewell

‘I was held…!’
‘The addition of the ghost was wonderfully atmospheric’
‘We were lucky to see a Stag appear as if on cue too – it was brilliant!’

Some of the comments following artist Simon Warner’s latest Theatrical Tour as part of on-going Medieval Harewood events this Summer…

Medieval Harewood Theatrical Tours

Simon Warner is a Yorkshire based photographer and performance artist. Simon will be conducting unique walking tours of Harewood’s medieval history enhanced with an audio experience, a real experience of Medieval Harewood!

Theatrical Tour dates: 17th July, 1st August, 14th August & 3rd September.

Medieval Harewood Theatrical Tour

There’s still time to book for Simon’s last Theatrical Tour on 3rd September, book now to avoid disappointment!

Read more and book…

This summer, explore Medieval Harewood with us…

Find out more on our Medieval Harewood webpages…

The Himalayan Garden is sublime in June…

‘Himalaya’, ‘The Abode of Snow’, the vast range of mountain peaks which arc across Central Asia, has an extraordinary diversity of flora.

Alan Titchmarsh, who opened the garden in May 2009, said “The Harewood Himalayan Garden is a hidden gem and second to none in the UK. Tell your friends!”

Harewood’s Himalayan Garden, a redevelopment of the ‘Rock Garden’ nurtured by Princess Mary and her husband the 6th Earl of Harewood in the 1930s, is this extraordinary world in miniature, a plant-hunter’s paradise.

Gardens - Himalayan Garden Bridge

With paths through a gorge and a bridge across the beck, this is somewhere for all garden-lovers to visit, with primulas, orchids, cobra lilies, blue poppies and more than 50 kinds of rhododendron.

It is also home to the Harewood Stupa, a Buddhist monument built in 2004 by monks from the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. The Stupa is the only one of its kind in the UK.

Some rare and beautiful flowers you might be lucky enough to see in this exotic Garden if you visit in June…

Iris Meadow
Primula Meadow
Cobra Lilly
Bhutan Pine
Chinese False Spikenard
Big-leaved Magnolia
Large Yellow Slipper Orchid
Blue Poppy

Enjoy the Gardens this Summer at Harewood…!

Read more and see videos about the Gardens on our website…

Harewood Discovery in the Yorkshire Post…

In case you missed it in the paper, the Yorkshire Post were intrigued by a recent discovery made during current refurbishment work on the offices at Harewood House.

We’re not talking about a piece of unknown Chippendale or a Turner watercolour, but a brief insight into the lives of two workmen who were working at Harewood on 14th April 1912 –  an anniversary that’s been much talked about recently following the centenary anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.

Found behind a panel on a doorway, E Sunderland and E Wilton wrote:

Titanic Discovery

Titantic Disaster
Sunday April 14th 1912
1503 persons drowned
705 persons saved
Commander Capt: Smith
This disaster happened near [illegible].
The boat was the largest afloat and on her maiden voyage.
E Sunderland
E Wilton
Painters

Robert Kay, Harewood’s chief decorator, who himself has worked at Harewood for 37 years, knew of Edgar Sunderland from his predecessor who remembered the man.  ‘He was well known for leaving time capsules and notes around the House.  We recently found photographs and newspaper cuttings behind a wall in the State Gallery from 1886.  It’s a wonderful way to enjoy and find out more about the legacy of people working at Harewood and we never know what we might find next.  I started work on the door panel on 14th May and it was eerie finding this exactly 100 years and one month from the date of the sinking, particularly as this year sees the centenary.’

Henry, 6th Earl of Harewood would have been in his early twenties on this date and the rooms continued to be used by the Lascelles’ family through the childhood’s of the 7th Earl of Harewood, who died in July last year, and his son David Lascelles, the 8th Earl of Harewood and his brothers.

In the early 1980s , Harewood revealed its most extraordinary find, handpainted Chinese wallpaper which had originally hung in the Chintz Bedroom in 1769 by Chippendale’s men.  But as fashions changed, it was removed, stored and forgotten for almost 2 centuries.  This fabulous wallpaper was conserved and re-hung in the newly refurbished East Bedroom for visitors to enjoy in 2008.

Harewood continues to evolve, both as a visitor destination and a major player in Yorkshire’s heritage.  The University of York is currently engaged in an archaeological dig on the site of Gawthorpe, which was the predecessor to Harewood House.  The dig will form a major element of Harewood’s major forthcoming Medieval Faire at the end of June and the 5 year celebration of Medieval at Harewood.  This is the second summer students from the University of York have been working in the grounds and finds continue to astound.

Harewood continues to provide clues to its history, some that we search for and some that we come upon by chance.  Harewood and its people might change across the centuries, but if anything is a constant here, it is change and Harewood looks forward to embracing finds in the future …. now where did Robert put that Jubilee time capsule?

Visit Harewood this Summer… Discover the House, Grounds and Gardens – you can check our opening times and prices on our website

News from the Bookshop…

Bookshop - Terrace Cottage

You may have noticed trestle tables outside the bookshop with a glorious display of healthy plants for sale including flowers, herbs and vegetables….the new plant stall at the bookshop is open!

Call into the Bookshop on your next visit to Harewood…

We have hardbacks and paperbacks, books for adults, books for children and a comfy area for you to kick back, relax, enjoy a cup of coffee and browse the books at you leisure.

Harewood Second-hand Bookshop is run by a team of volunteers and depends entirely on donations…

All proceeds help fund educational projects around Harewood House and Gardens and the Bookshop run events and activities to promote reading to the young and old.

We are currently desperate for music CDs, so if you are spring cleaning your collections, we would love to have any unwanted copies you may have…

Shhhhhhh….the Clandestine Cake Club comes to Harewood, read the bookshop newsletter to find out more… There’s also still time to enter our Favourite Five survey to let us know your top reads.

Read more on the Bookshop webpage…