The English country house has become iconic within national heritage and is portrayed as a timeless symbol of aristocratic paternalism. However, the story behind the construction of these houses and their landscapes, the families and their history is often complex. At Harewood House near Leeds in Yorkshire (UK), the Lascelles family erased a medieval landscape and demolished the manor house to create a modern image of their ambition and wealth. This paper will explore why the medieval house and landscape no longer served the needs of the new owners, and how they constructed a new modern image through landscaping and architecture. Using the family archives, maps and archaeological excavation it will explore how the change took place and what it meant in terms of social values, social change and the impact of globalism.

Dr. Jonathan Finch er gæsteforsker ved Dansk Center for Herregårdsforskning 2016-2017 via netværket ENCOUNTER. Han har specialiseret sig i historiske landskaber og har gennem en årrække beskæftiget sig intensivt med herregårdslandskaber, hvilket bl.a. har ført ham på feltarbejde ved den berømte britiske herregård Harewood House ved Leeds.

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