The Victorian Castle
During the 1830's Barry was already engaged in designing the new Houses of Parliament and the Reform Club in Pall Mall, and his work at Highclere reflects those other
preoccupations: the whole external style of Highclere, which Barry called Anglo-Italianate, together with the tall central tower, are
reminiscent of his new Houses of Parliament.
By 1842 his remodelled building (now called Highclere Castle) dominated its surroundings in a most dramatic way.
No wonder Benjamin Disrael'i's first words on seeing Highclere were "How scenical! How scenical!".
Barry did most of his work on Highclere between 1838 and 1843, but there were long delays at first, while Lord Carnarvon and he discussed and amended the plans for many aspects of the Castle's design.
In all, Barry prepared three different designs, the final one dated 1842 (the date carved over the front door: MDCCCXLII). It featured the great central tower which Barry had favoured from the beginning, but
which Lord Carnarvon's land agent had warned was "pregnant with the most alarming danger to your Lordship's pocket". The correspondence between Lord Carnarvon and Barry also reveals major differences
of opinion over the embellishments of this tower once it was built, but in general their relationship remained cordial and there was clearly much mutual respect.
The completion of the Castle
Although the exterior of the north, east and south sides was completed by the time the 3rd Earl died in 1849 and Sir Charles Barry died in 1852, the interior and the whole of the west wing
(designated as servant's quarters) were still far from complete. The 4th Earl turned to the architect Thomas Allom, who had worked with Barry, to supervise completion of the interior and the west wing.
Allom worked from some of Sir Charles Barry's original designs but added ideas of his own and may have also brought in other architects and designers.
He also built several new lodges in the Park, and a memorial chapel for the family, but plans to rebuild the parish church at the north-west corner of the Castle were abandoned.
The structural work on the interior of the Castle was finally completed in 1878. Once built, the Castle became a centre of political life during the late Victorian era.
The twentieth Century
In the twentieth century, the Castle saw different uses during the two World Wars. During the First World War, it was a hospital, and it was a home for evacuee children during the Second World War.
The 6th Earl lived in the Castle until 1986. The current (8th) Earl and Countess now live next door to the Castle, but remain closely involved in its day to day life and future.
