Raby History
Built for the mighty dynasty of the Nevills, this great fortress stands proud and defiant, its history rolling back almost a thousand years.
King Cnut (also known as Canute II the Great) owned the 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 Nevills who built the 14th century castle which still stands today.
The builders of Raby Castle in the 12th century and one of the most powerful families in the North
After the Nevills' unsuccessful 'Rising of the North' in 1569, ownership was passed into the hands of the Vanes who began a political dynasty which culminated in the beheading of Sir Henry Vane the Younger. The Castle was defended in the Civil War but remained relatively unaltered until three sta...
Through his grandmother Lord Barnard is a direct descendant of the Nevills of Raby.