Castle Howard is a stately home in North Yorkshire, England, 15 miles north of York. Set in the Howardian Hills National Landscape, Castle Howard is a private residence and has been home of the Carlisle branch of the Howard family for more than 300 years. Castle Howard was commissioned by the 3rd Earl of Carlisle in 1699 and took over 100 years to complete. Successive generations have welcomed visitors to the House and it was first opened to the public by George Howard in 1952. The House has dramatic interiors and world-renowned art collections, with Palladian and Baroque architecture. The Gardens offer, temples, lakes, fountains, follies and monuments and the wider Estate benefits from extensive woodland, farm land and buildings.