The Howard Family

Previous page: Dimensions and Appearance of Castle Howard

The house of Howard is an ancient English family of noble representatives and it has an interesting history. The blameless character of its great chiefs, and the splendid alliances it has contracted grew its influence from generation to generation until it came to claim precedence of rank over many other noble families of Britain.

The head of the Howards, the Duke of Norfolk, is Premier Duke and also Hereditary Earl Marshal, and Chief Butler of England. And if the halls and domes of their mansion are lacking in that venerable antiquity, which marks the buildings of the early Norman period, its proportions are certainly imposing, its size magnificent, its appointments luxurious, and its gardens and grounds conceived and planted in the finest spirit of artistic taste.

The match of Sir Robert Howard with the heiress of Thomas de Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, raised the Howards to the first rank of the British aristocracy. They subsequently attained increased splendour and consequence by alliances with the houses of Bigod, Fitzalan, Talbot, and Dacres.

Next page: Henderskelfe and the Earldom of Carlisle

Castle Howard - Introduction
1 - Dimensions and Appearance of Castle Howard
2 - The Howard Family
3 - Henderskelfe and the Earldom of Carlisle
4 - Lord William Howard - 'Belted Will'

Advertisements