Remembering Sebastian's Teddy

It's Easter Monday

This day needed serious planning. Lyn wanted "an adventure". I wanted to see Castle Howard because it is one of the greatest of England's great houses and because I loved the great Brideshead Revisited (1981) television series. (I spent the day trying to remember the name of Sebastian's teddy bear.) However, Easter Monday meant no local bus, so it was train from York to Malton, then taxi to Castle Howard.

All went well except the weather. It was cool, grey and wet underfoot. 

Inside, next to a vast cabinet of 18th Century crockery, we encountered our first volunteer guide. There was one in every room. As discussed in blog posts from previous years, these people are the UK's national treasure.

Above is the dome. The painting is of Phaeton in his chariot who crashed, burned, and fell from the sky. It is a typical Greek myth about pride coming before a fall. The dome of Castle Howard made it unique. Then it burned and crashed down into the great hall beneath. Ironic, no? So, with a new dome, restoration continues year after year.

There were lots of fascinating furnishings of mixed taste but this "vase" was something else!

The house had its own Chapel.

On a brighter day the views would have been even more striking. 

The grounds of Castle Howard are thousands of acres. We spent time exploring the walled gardens, fountains, follies, lakes, avenues, woods and paths. All we lacked was a sunny day, some servants to carry a picnic, and Jane Austen to record it all.

Every so often there were loud explosions from the country roundabouts. On the way home through Malton, the foodie capital of Yorkshire, we may have discovered the reason.