Castle Howard Mausoleum: The huge Yorkshire mausoleum on the Heritage at Risk Register
On a hill in the grounds of Castle Howard, the magnificent mausoleum remains the private burial place of the Howard family, who have owned and occupied the stately home for more than 300 years.
One of the largest free-standing mausoleums in northern Europe, the grade I listed edifice rises to 90ft and is on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register, which describes its condition as “poor”, its vulnerability as “medium” and trend as “declining”.
A huge double flight of steps ascends to the mausoleum’s principal chamber, which sits above a burial vault containing 63 catacombs in the edifice designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor, a leading figure of the English Baroque style and one of the 18th century’s most prolific architects.
The interior features a coffered ceiling and richly carved entablature supported by Corinthian columns, while its exterior features 20 Doric columns and a shallow dome.