Your own fairytale castle in North Yorkshire

For all the romance that accompanies ideas of residing in an old castle, the concern that one might end up rattling around in, rather than lording over, its draughty rooms can quickly put paid to such fanciful notions. 

But the owners of the surprisingly cosy, Grade II listed Kirby Knowle Castle were undeterred. Built in the 13th century, the grandiose structure towering over 65 acres of land and with sweeping views of North Yorkshire’s dales was, at core, in “a complete state of disrepair” before they restored it. Today, one would never know, to look at its immaculate stone floors, gleaming woodwork, and a central three-storey open staircase reinstated after a fire destroyed the original, and many other features, in the 1500s. 

The castle’s history is peppered with attempts to refashion it: under Sir Thomas Rokeby’s ownership, it was supposedly a regular haunt of Mary Queen of Scots. Its current look, with the guidance of English Heritage, was a four-year-long labour of love to introduce a layer of contemporised luxury and utility to the property – from lavish en suites (two featuring boutique hotel-style waterfall showers) to a gym with adjacent steam room, no detail was left unconsidered. 

Swathed in natural light from massive roof windows and decorated in a calming palette of pale greys and creamy neutrals, with occasional crimson pops and flashes of gilt, an easy elegance pervades the living spaces. But it’s the kitchen that’s the castle’s heart and soul, designed around a generous island complete with an Aga – and nooks for easy congregation and family meals. 

Summer and clear autumn days invite alfresco cook-ups in the covered barbecue kitchen on the front terrace, or a chance to soak up the scenery beside the tranquil koi pond. Meanwhile, parties year-round have the benefit of the views wherever you happen to host them, barring the old cellar. There, a substantial wine vault, games room and plush eight-seater cinema  find their natural home in the property.  

Open fires and biomass heating make the castle a snug and unusually toasty  place to be in the cooler months of the year, an inviting option come October. Just minutes away are charming country pubs and the delights of browsing the markets and independent stores in Kirby Knowle and Thirsk, welcoming communities worth exploring in themselves. 

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