Raby Castle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Raby Castle in County Durham is one of the largest inhabited castles in England. It has opulent eighteenth and nineteenth century interiors inside a largely unchanged late medieval shell.
Raby once belonged to the Neville family, who became one of the most powerful in England. Cecily Neville, who was the mother of the Kings Edward IV of England and Richard III of England was born here. The Nevilles lost the castle (and many more of their possessions) after they led the failed Rising of the North in favour of Mary, Queen of Scots in 1569.
Sir Henry Vane the Elder purchased Raby from the Crown in 1626 and his descendants still own it. From 1833 to 1891 they were the Dukes of Cleveland, and they retain the title of Lord Barnard. High Force waterfall is on the Raby Estates.
The Castle is open to the public and contains many works of art, including the original 1844 version of Hiram Powers' The Greek Slave.
