Clan Rising
Kirby Knowle Castle today

England · Restored

Kirby Knowle Castle

Kirby Knowle Castle is a historic stone country house in the village of Kirby Knowle, North Yorkshire. The building preserves a three-storey main block with a canted bay and a five-stage tower and contains named domestic rooms and service buildings recorded from the Elizabethan and Stuart periods.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1655

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1655

What Kirby Knowle Castle looked like in its prime.

A stone country house of pale Yorkshire stone with Welsh slate roofs: a three-storey main block of four bays, a two-storey canted bay with a conical roof and openwork parapet, and a five-stage tower set in the angle. Windows are predominantly mullioned and transomed with hood moulds; the main roofline carries a panelled parapet with semicircular battlements and obelisk corner finials. The house sits in a village-rural setting and appears complete and occupied.

Its story

The story of Kirby Knowle Castle.

Kirby Knowle Castle is a stone country house in North Yorkshire under Welsh slate roofs, its main block of three storeys and four bays with mullioned and transomed windows under hood moulds, a panelled parapet with semicircular battlements and obelisk corner finials, and a five-stage tower set in the angle of its ranges.

The house was the Constable family's. A survey praised the mansion John Constable founded as "passing beautiful of itself and fair of prospect", with hall, great chamber, gallery and chapel among its lodgings. His wife Katherine, a daughter of Henry Neville, 5th Earl of Westmorland, died in 1590, her will recording Elizabethan luxuries including a porcelain cup that guarded against poisoning. The Constables left in 1644, and by 1652 the "New Building" was out of repair.

Step inside

12 places to explore in 1655.

The record describes 12 distinct spots at Kirby Knowle Castle, including 8 interiors: the great hall, great chamber, the parlour and more. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Approach from the village lane (front façade)Five-stage tower (exterior base and stair entrance)Tower battlements and rooftop viewThe great hallGreat chamberThe parlourPrivate chapelUpper galleryThe studyKitchen (service range)Bakehouse and brew house (exterior/service yard)Mural closet / priest hole

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Recreate Kirby Knowle Castle with AI to explore it.

The artist rebuilds it as it stood in 1655, a photoreal reconstruction that belongs to you alone. Pay with coins, no subscription needed.

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Whose castle

Clans who held Kirby Knowle Castle.

The families that held Kirby Knowle Castle for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.

  • Constable

    Held by the Constable family through the Elizabethan and Stuart periods; unoccupied by them after 1644.

Nearby

Landmarks within reach of Kirby Knowle Castle.

Hovingham Hall, EnglandMuseumHovingham Hall24 km awayFountains Abbey, EnglandAncient siteFountains Abbey27 km awayCastle Howard, EnglandMuseumCastle Howard31 km away

Questions about Kirby Knowle Castle

What is the history of Kirby Knowle Castle?

Kirby Knowle Castle began as a late-12th-century castle built by Roger Lascelles. It burned down in 1568, after which John Constable rebuilt it in the contemporary style, although he died before the work was complete. The Constable family left in 1644, and James Danby bought and repaired the building in 1654. It was restored in 1875 and again in the 2010s.

What is inside Kirby Knowle Castle?

Inside Kirby Knowle Castle are the great hall, Great chamber, parlour, private chapel, upper gallery, study, kitchen and a mural closet or priest hole. The historic domestic accommodation also included a bed chamber and other lodgings and chambers. Service buildings included a bakehouse and brew house.

Where is Kirby Knowle Castle?

Kirby Knowle Castle is in Kirby Knowle, North Yorkshire, England. It stands in a village setting within the North Yorkshire countryside. The building is associated with the village of Kirby Knowle.

What did Kirby Knowle Castle look like in its prime?

Kirby Knowle Castle is a pale Yorkshire-stone country house with Welsh slate roofs. Its three-storey main block has four bays, a two-storey canted bay with a conical roof, and a five-stage tower set in the angle. Mullioned and transomed windows, hood moulds, semicircular battlements and obelisk corner finials define its appearance.

Is Kirby Knowle Castle still standing or is it a ruin?

Kirby Knowle Castle is still standing and has been restored. It was restored in 1875 and again in the 2010s, with the later work leaving the property with seven bedrooms, a cinema, games room, gym and steam room. The building appears complete rather than ruined.

Which family or clan held Kirby Knowle Castle?

Kirby Knowle Castle was held by the Constable family through the Elizabethan and Stuart periods. The family had left the castle by 1644, after which James Danby purchased it in 1654 and repaired the building.

Does anyone live in Kirby Knowle Castle?

Kirby Knowle Castle appears occupied today. Its stone country-house building is described as complete and occupied, although the supplied material does not identify the current occupants.

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