A new era for Raby

The light across the deer park extends shadows and illuminates corners hour by hour and in the reworked gardens the genius of Italian designer Luciano Giubbilei and Richmond landscaper Alistair Baldwin is literally planting the seeds of the future for this breathtaking place.

It may seem as if time has stood still here as visitors are immersed in the tranquillity and history that for 700 years have been as much a part of Raby as every stone and timber that made it what it is.

But for Lord and Lady Barnard whose home this is and the staff who work here, time cannot stand still. Instead, the whole team has united in keeping pace with changing needs all around us as Raby has reshaped itself for a new audience – but never losing sight of what makes this place so special for so many of us.

The very word Raby has become a byword for spirit-lifting heritage, luxury and beauty and now its unique qualities have been enhanced once again to offer a new focus for a business audience, marking the culmination of a six-year journey for Head of Leisure and Tourism Claire Jones.

Working alongside Lord and Lady Barnard, they have been architects of change here with ‘The Rising’ development, a 24-acre site featuring a new 200-seater restaurant called the Vinery, extended shopping, the remodelled 18th century Walled Garden and a new exhibition alongside renovated heritage buildings.

People who have fallen in love with Raby over generations will not be disappointed, and those lucky people yet to discover it will be mesmerised by the end results of years of thoughtful work – one step at a time though history.

Among the new elements seamlessly woven into its history are two new spaces that offer that rarest of things for businesses – large spaces for the grandest of events or the most intimate celebrations for just a selected few.

The Riding School and the Dutch Barn epitomise the main quality of scheme– reusing but not rebuilding. Unlike a hotel or traditional conference venue, each individual setting will offer the exclusive combination of heritage, character and energy, in Raby’s beautiful parkland setting.

The Riding School is a 63m long building capable of looking after more than 400 people in unique surroundings, while the Grade II* listed open-sided Dutch Barn had been hidden for decades and during its reimagining, the highest quality stonework was carried out throughout the elegant building where hay used to dry, as well as the renovation of stunning beams and timbers.

Claire is both exhausted and exhilarated by what has been achieved at Raby but she knows the journey from the past into the future is only just beginning.

‘I think the word that stands out is privilege,’ she tells me.

‘It is an absolute privilege to be part of a special place like this, even to work here before we did everything that we’ve done. But even more so now after all the work that’s gone into it, and we’ve created such a fantastic place to work in with such a brilliant team of people as well. There’s a real community here.

‘I’ll always be grateful that I was brought in to lead the development - my job interview was actually standing outside the Dutch Barn with Lord and Lady Barnard and them saying to me “what would you do with it?”

‘It was absolutely a blank canvas because all of these buildings had been mothballed and had fallen out of use – but they deserved to be shared with people and the enthusiasm to join past with future was remarkable.’

The relationship between the team and Lord and Lady Barnard is clearly one of the utmost respect on both sides and a shared vision of what one of the region’s most loved places could become.

‘They have led the entire thing with such passion and Lady Barnard, our creative director, has always treasured this vision of what it could be,’ says Claire.

‘She could just see it in her mind and throughout the design stages worked in brilliant partnership, with Lord Barnard as the keen historian of the family, who was so conscious about respecting the buildings, their history and their heritage.

‘They always wanted to open it all up and share their home and its history with other people, and I think they understand that by doing that and by people feeling such affection for the whole Raby Estate they’ll continue to come back here and use the place and bring their families here.

‘That will then allow the estate to continue to invest in these places and to keep these fantastic, magnificent buildings for future generations to enjoy. That was at the absolute heart of it alongside helping more people understand the history of the buildings and what they were used for.

‘So retaining these stone walls and timbers and letting people see the structures in their original form, tells the full story. It’s been shaped by centuries of use and people needed to see that rather than seeing a blank, plastered wall covering it all up.

‘But even after all this work, in some ways it’s the very beginning, isn’t it? Because we’ve only just opened the doors and let people in and until you start to share it with people you don’t know what ideas they’re going to come forward with themselves.

‘And we welcome that sort of input, whether it is a barbecue or a festival or a hundred things inbetween. It has been really nice talking to people over the last few weeks and hearing the ideas that they’ve got for something we might consider in the future.

‘We have a calendar of markets and events that we host through the year, but until we had these new spaces and people saw the potential, it couldn’t evolve. Now we can demonstrate the potential for new audiences such as businesses who want their event in this fantastic setting with these magnificent buildings rather than something that feels too corporate.

‘Whether they come to us with five people or 500, we have something to suit but more importantly, if they want something that represents their brand, and core values around sustainability and heritage, this will be the perfect setting for them.’

Raby aims to provide an extraordinary venue for unforgettable team building events, workshops, conferences, product launches, awards, private dining events, networking or exhibitions. The buildings are so versatile, you can even drive a car into the centre of the Riding School.

In the Coach House alongside a hugely increased range of goods to buy, there is a long table made from estate oak and quite beautifully carved to show a journey through the Raby Estate, enhanced by an overhead projection onto it of features and trails. One point it makes apart from the rare skills and artistry that Raby is bringing back and protecting, is the sheer scale of the whole estate – encompassing the castle itself, Gainford Hall and the High Force Waterfall and Hotel.

As Raby moves into the Autumn Winter gifting season, the new development provides unique ideas for extraordinary gifts, whether that is a gift from your employer or a much loved friend. Raby Estate Adventures offer one-of-a-kind experiences from Deer Safaris, Moorland tours to cookery courses and Stargazing Suppers at High Force Waterfall.

If you can imagine it, Raby will make it happen.

Claire says distance is no object: ‘We’re really accessible here – just a short drive off the A1 and even if somebody wants to come here from London by train it’s just over two hours from Kings Cross to Darlington. I think we’re naturally going to attract people from the North East because we love doing local business, but our doors are open to anyone who wants to experience Raby and support local skills and local produce.

‘Our team is as local as anything we have on the estate. Most of them live on the doorstep and will always champion our local produce from the oil we produce and cook with to the estate’s venison and Longhorn beef. The estate is a showcase of the very best the North East has to offer.’

Bringing in the new and balancing that with the much-loved traditional offering is at the heart of Claire’s work, and for many years, one of the highlights of the year for thousands of visitors has been a Raby Christmas.

Families will be delighted to hear that the regular festive events are continuing this year including Father Christmas’s annual visit, the Plotters Forest Christmas trail, afternoon tea in the castle, Christmas tree sales and more Christmas shopping than ever before.

However this year, this is expanded with a range of business events including Christmas in the Barn – a festive market inspired event for businesses of all sizes to join. Creative Christmas Evenings are also available for corporate groups in the Riding School for a festive evenings of wreath making and estate grazing.

The Raby Christmas market returns from Nov 30 – Dec 1 showcasing the best of local suppliers and producers, all situated within the Dutch Barn and Riding School.

‘There is a huge tradition of people coming here to celebrate and to come together at such a special time,’ says Claire.

‘Families will come here to buy their Christmas tree every year, and then bring their children and their grandchildren to keep that tradition going, and now businesses can build their own Raby tradition. That is something we will always sustain and support as we go forward. I think there is a very genuine affection for Raby, which works both ways.

‘People have been ready for this change because they shared our view that Raby was a little bit of a sleeping giant and that there was so much opportunity here. I think people have been waiting for this and I must admit it has surpassed my own expectations.

‘The buildings look as I expected them to do because we’ve spent so long designing them, but I think there is a unique feeling about the place, the atmosphere, the buzz and excitement and a real sense of kindness and friendliness which comes from the people who work here and who visit us.’

Lord and Lady Barnard are understandably delighted by the end result. As guardians of so much history, this was a huge leap of faith for them – and a personal investment. But this is about legacy as well and what people might be doing here in another 700 years because of the decisions made within the last decade.

As saplings become trees and seeds become a thousand flowers, Raby changes but stays the same.

This place is an old dear friend who has been given a new lease of life and there will be joy in so many people’s hearts that it is being so well cared for and can look forward to many more generations walking its paths.

raby.co.uk

admin@raby.co.uk

01833 660202

CHRISTMAS AT RABY

christmas in the barn

Thursday 19th December 2024 6:30pm-10:00pm | £35pp

Celebrate the festive season at the iconic Dutch Barn for a Christmas party like no other. Gather your team, wrap up warm, and immerse yourself in the magical atmosphere of one of the most stunning venues on the Raby Estate. Enjoy mulled wine, live music, and a delicious Estates BBQ, all set in the grounds of Raby Castle.

Creative Christmas Evening

Wednesday 4th December  6.30 – 9.30pm | £75pp

Unleash your team’s creativity this Christmas. Join us for a festive evening of wreath-making, Estate grazing, and Prosecco in the newly restored Rising School. It’s the perfect opportunity to celebrate the festive season, enjoy excellent company, and experience a beautiful venue at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens.

A JOURNEY THROUGH RABY’S HISTORY

King Cnut owned Raby Estate, then known as ‘Rabi’ (derived from ‘Ra’, Danish for a boundary, and ‘Bi’, a settlement or dwelling) in the early 11th century.

The Viking King and self-appointed ‘Emperor of the North’ may well have built a manor house here, but it was the powerful Nevilles who built the 14th century castle which still stands today.

Once home to Cecily Neville, mother of two kings of England, the Neville family’s ownership ended after the unsuccessful ‘Rising of the North’ in 1569.

In 1626, Sir Henry Vane the Elder, Member of Parliament and important figure in Charles I’s household, purchased Raby from the Crown.

Since then, Raby Castle has survived Civil Wars and family feuds, and has been home to generations of Barons, Earls and Dukes who entertained royalty, encouraged political reform and lay the foundations for today’s landscape at Raby.

Today, Raby is still the seat of the Vane family, the present owners being the 12th Lord and Lady Barnard.