Highclere is one of England's most beautiful Victorian Castles set amidst 1,000 acres of spectacular
Parkland. The Carnarvon family has lived at Highclere since 1679, although records show the Castle
itself stands on the site of an earlier house, which in turn was built on the foundations of the
medieval palace owned by the Bishops of Winchester.
A "Monks' Garden", south east of the Castle, is so named because this was where the monks used
to grow their fruit trees and vegetables. It is now a walled garden with roses, quinces, figs
and lavender.
Georgian and Victorian Times
Major rebuilding works, carried out in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, by the Carnarvon
family 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.
The new “Highclere Castle” dominated its surroundings in a most dramatic way. No wonder Benjamin
Disraeli's first words on seeing Highclere were
"How scenical! How scenical!".
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 20th 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 remain closely involved in its day to day
life and future.
