Here are among top majestic moments across our area...
1. Nunnington Hall, North Yorkshire
The Graham family of Nunnington Hall supported the Jacobite cause and the claim of Charles Edward Stuart, Bonnie Prince Charlie, to the throne.
Stuart relics including a ring containing Bonnie Prince Charlie’s hair while a fragment of a tartan plaid cloak, belonging to the Young Pretender, can be viewed in the Oak Hall as part of Hamilton Collection.
2. Harewood House, near Leeds
A young Princess Victoria visited Harewood House in 1835 shortly before her coronation, the grand country house still lived in by her direct descendent.
Explore its breath-taking Lancelot “Capability” Brown landscape and acres of formal gardens, take tea on the idyllic Terrace or take in the splendour of the State Rooms filled with original Chippendale furniture.
3. The Bay Horse Inn in Goldsborough, near Knaresborough
The inn is now owned by the Oglesby family, three years ago undergoing significant refurbishment. The £380,000 revamp pays homage to the village’s royal connections.
Princess Mary, the only daughter of King George V, lived at Goldsborough from 1922 until 1930 after her marriage to Henry Lascelles.
Their two sons George and Gerald were born at Goldsborough and christened in the estate church. They moved to Harewood House when Henry inherited the earldom.
The pub is decorated with old photos showing Princess Mary and her family at the hall in the 1920s.
Mary’s brother was King George VI, father of our present Queen, who could have visited Goldsborough as a small child.
4. Pontefract Castle
Over the centuries the castle’s importance made it the location of many dark and terrible deeds.
In 1399 King Richard II was captured by his cousin Henry Bolingbroke with his throne taken away from him.
He was imprisoned by the new Henry IV at the castle, where he was thought to have starved to death. This infamous event is immortalised in Shakespeare’s play Richard II.
5. Henry VIII’s Yorkshire Progress
In 1541 Henry made a Great Progress to Yorkshire to demonstrate his own kingly glory, graciously accepting the homage (and gifts!) of towns, their councillors kneeling before him, humbled by poverty.
There were later rebellions but none that came so close to success.
He was accompanied by fifth wife Catherine Howard, who Henry later had beheaded for treason.
Places visited included Pontefract, Hull, York, Holme-on-Spalding-Moor and Fulford.
The journey is immortalised in Sovereign, third in CJ Sansom’s supreme Shardlake series.
6. Pickering Castle
Set in the North York Moors-edge market town, the castle began life as a simple wooden motte-and-bailey fortress founded by William the Conqueror.
It was converted to stone under Henry II, later additions including an outer entrance and curtain wall, built on the orders of Edward II.
The classic 13th century castle was used by a succession of medieval kings as hunting lodge and holiday home..
Edward II used the castle for raising horses, establishing a stud of more than 50 horses here.