'I've been head curator at Castle Howard for 40 years - it's still full of surprises'

Arriving at the University of York to read English in 1977, I had never ventured North before, so it was all strange to me – but in the nicest possible way. It wasn’t grey and untamed at all, in fact, I was extremely impressed and I loved finding out about my surroundings.

What’s your favourite part of the county?

As far as urban Yorkshire is concerned, the centre of York with its range of heritage attractions, from the Minster to Clifford’s Tower and the National Railway Museum. In rural Yorkshire, the Vale of Pickering bounded by the Howardian Hills, Yorkshire Wolds, and North Yorkshire Moors.

What’s your idea of a perfect day out in Yorkshire?

An enjoyable excursion for us is to drive over the moors, past Fylingdales, to Robin Hood’s Bay and Whitby and enjoy coastal Yorkshire. ​

Do you have a favourite walk?

Just anywhere on the Castle Howard estate and at any time of the year – it doesn’t matter how familiar the land is the seasons will always reveal something that’s new – the skies are different, the vegetation and the leaves are different, the colours are constantly changing.

Which Yorkshire sportsperson, past or present, would you like to take for lunch?

Joe Root – a cricketing hero. Charming, funny, articulate, and a very fine player. I’ve never met him, nor have I seen him play in in real life, only on TV, but he comes over as a very agreeable young man with an amazing talent.

Which Yorkshire stage or screen star, or past or present, would you like to take for dinner?

It’s hard to think of more genial company than Michael Palin, who many of us have known since his Python days, he’s funny, slightly anarchic and extraordinarily passionate about the world we live in.

But could Bob Mortimer come along too? He’s an amusing clown, with a very dry sense of humour, and I love his fishing programmes, where a lot of wisdom spills out.

If you had to name your Yorkshire ‘hidden gem,’ what would it be?

Hackfall beside the River Ure with its lost 18th-century woodland garden. Rosie and I went there many years ago, and discovering its history was fascinating, there was something new around every corner.

If you could own one thing in Yorkshire for a day, what it be?

Being marooned by snowfall in the Red Lion on Blakey Ridge. We’d have to make sure there was plenty of wood for the open fire, food for everyone trapped in the same circumstances, a few bottles to enjoy, and some kegs of beer.

What do you think gives Yorkshire its unique identity?

Its size – it is, in terms of comparative landmass to the country the UK equivalent of Texas in the US, but also its variety, the county has pretty much everything, particularly in the landscapes.

There’s also the fact that, while we have a good few major conurbations, you can get out of the centre of all of them (well, nearly all) and drive for about 15 minutes and you are in glorious countryside.

Do you have a favourite food shop?

We live close to Malton which for a small town has a good range of small independent food shops – long may they last. There’s a great fishmonger, some good butchers, an exceptional deli, greengrocers, you name it.

How do you think that Yorkshire has changed, for better or for worse, in the time that you’ve known it?

Like everywhere Yorkshire has got busier and more populated: it is great that people visit the area, but it is important to preserve its distinctive character; its built and natural heritage is precious.

I’m not so sure about our public transport, however, if your want to go north to Edinburgh, or south to London, that’s fine – if you want to go east to west, well, that is quite another story.

Who is the Yorkshire person that you most admire?

I am intrigued by three 20-century politicians: Herbert Asquith, Harold Wilson, and Roy Hattersley. One of the Howard family, Geoffrey, was Parliamentary Secretary to Asquith, and we even have a photograph of them here, standing on the steps of the great house with his wife Margot. He had a lot to deal with – The Great War, the Irish independence issues, and the rise of the suffragettes.

Has Yorkshire influenced your work?

I am from the south so could never class myself a Yorkshireman; but after living and working here for nearly half a century I find Yorkshire has shaped my perception of England; it has become a lens through which to view and compare places elsewhere.

Castle Howard is a remarkable place. Even after all this time, you can think to yourself that you’ve seen it all, know all about it, and then a shaft of light will come through the window and hit on a surface, and something quite new and out of the ordinary will reveal itself.

This place, and the county itself, is a place of surprises.

Name your favourite Yorkshire book/author/artist/CD/performer.

So many, but as a living person probably David Hockney not least of all because of his productive energy and his constant exploration of new technology; but can I cheat and add Robinson Crusoe who was, it is claimed, born in York, for his resilience as a castaway – technically he was an author.

If a stranger to Yorkshire only had time to visit one place, where would it be?

It has to be a day spent at Castle Howard, and particularly this year when the house has revealed an astonishing transformation that has been five years in the making; Castle Howard’s 21st Century Renaissance is a project I have been involved in from the outset and it will be a treat for the people of Yorkshire to see.

Christopher Ridgway’s latest book, Castle Howard: A Grand Tour of Britain’s Finest Country House, will be published in late autumn.