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 owned the estate in the early 11th Century and may well have built the first castle here; the present building was begun by John, 3rd Baron Nevill in about 1360. The Nevills were the most powerful family in the north: renowned warriors whose ultimate goal was the Crown itself. At Raby, they built a stronghold of soaring towers and impregnable walls as a symbol of their power, wealth and ambition.

In Raby's miraculously well-preserved halls and chambers, history comes vibrantly to life. The grandest medieval Kitchen in England is here, a room of awesome proportions virtually unaltered since it was built in 1360; a Garrison Room with walls up to twenty feet thick where in times of danger men-at-arms (and their horses) lived and slept; and most magnificent of all, the breath-taking grandeur of the Baron's Hall where 700 knights gathered in 1569 to plot the "Rising of the North" in support of Mary, Queen of Scots, a doomed enterprise that brought about the fall of the House of Nevill.

Since 1626, the Castle has been owned by the Vane family. As Earls of Darlington and Dukes of Cleveland they added a dramatic Entrance Hall in the Gothic style, and the sumptuously decorated Octagon Drawing Room.

Raby's extensive grounds provide interest for all the family. A 200 acre Deer Park surrounds the Castle, walled gardens offer a peaceful refuge, and the 18th century Stables now house a fascinating Coach & Carriage Museum and an enticing Tea Room making novel use of the old stalls.