Introduction
We very much hope you enjoy your visit to Highclere, one of England's most beautiful Victorian Castles set amidst spectacular Parkland.
Every year we discover something new about the Castle's history and about the lives of the previous Earls of Carnarvon. We are delighted to share
this House and its treasures with you.
Highclere: the early history
Highclere is an area which is believed to have been inhabited since prehistoric times and there is evidence of this both here in Highclere Park and in nearby Seven Barrows.
The Castle itself stands on the site of an earlier house, that in turn was built on the foundations of the medieval palace of the Bishops of Winchester, who owned this estate from the eighth century.
William of Wykeham (Bishop of Winchester 1367-1404) and his household stayed here frequently on their journeys between Winchester Cathedral
and the two educational establishments he founded: New College Oxford (1379) and Winchester College (1394). Indeed, New College, endowed
by William of Wykeham (because the Black Death had killed so many of the clergy) is said to be built from oaks felled at Highclere.
A "Monk's Garden", so named because this was where the monks used to grow their vegetables, still exists at Highclere.
The Middle Years
After the Reformation, in the mid 16th century, Highclere passed from the clergy into secular hands and was owned successively by the FitzWilliam, Kingsmill and Lucy families.
It was purchased in 1679 by Sir Robert Sawyer, Attorney General to Charles II and James II. He bequeathed the house and estate to his daughter
in 1692, and her marriage to the 8th Earl of Pembroke brought Highclere to the Herbert family, ancestors to the Earls of Carnarvon. Highclere Place House
was at this time a double-fronted, Elizabethan brick mansion with a courtyard, stables, garden and orchards.
Margaret Pembroke's second son, Robert, inherited Highclere in 1706. Robert began to lay out a vast formal landscape including pleasure
gardens and several follies. He was succeeded by his nephew, Henry Herbert, who carried out many improvements to the landscaped park.
It is recorded that his cousin the Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery offered to send him "400 exotic tree seedlings called Cedars of Lebanon" in 1770.
Henry replied "thank you for your nice offer but I pray you... send me 4000 as I have plenty of room in my Park". He was sharply rebuked and told
he was lucky to get any at all.
Georgian and Victorian Times
Major rebuilding works, carried out in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, converted the old brick and freestone house to a classical Georgian mansion
within a pastoral setting. The major transformation, however, was just about to happen.
In 1838, the 3rd Earl of Carnarvon brought in Sir Charles Barry to transform his home into a grand mansion which would impress the world.
It was a time of energy and change. The young Queen Victoria had just come to the throne, and the whole decade witnessed innovation in politics and
cultural life. In architecture, new technology in the production of sheet glass and wrought iron encouraged new forms of structural design.
