Our iconic dome will once again shine as we prepare to re-gild the cupola lantern this summer using 23.5 carat gold leaf.

When complete, it will glisten in the sun to be seen from miles around. That’s the promise from Hon. Nicholas Howard to mark the start of the gilding process on the lantern which sits atop our famous dome.

Visitors over the last couple of weeks will have seen scaffolding covering the lantern – the decorative feature which sits on top of the dome – as the wooden finial, cornice and windows of the lantern were prepared for the work, which will see sheets of 23.5 carat gold leaf applied to the woodwork to give an unrivalled shine. The work can only be done in good weather to ensure that the gold leaf forms an effective shield against moisture – preserving the longevity of the cupola’s crown.

“The lantern really is the crowning glory which sits on top of Castle Howard’s dome, and when finished, the highly-reflective gold leaf will be visible from miles around,” explains Nicholas Howard, who has commissioned the work. “In the past, different materials and techniques have been used to give the lantern its golden hue, but experience shows that only high quality gold leaf provides the glistening finish that can be seen in 18th century paintings of the building.”

The gilding work will focus upon three sections – an apex finial which is just less than three metres high, the cornice and, below that, the lantern which has windows enabling the top of the dome to be a beacon by night as well as by day. Although it may appear much smaller when viewed from ground level, the area to be gilded is approximately 32 square metres. The sheets of gold leaf are painstakingly applied in sheets of 20cm square – up to 1000 will be used to complete the task – and fixed using a special oil-based adhesive.

“Whilst this may seem like a lot of gold, realistically, the gold leaf is so thin that in total only around 23 grams of gold will be used – the equivalent of an average gold chain necklace. The purity of the gold ensures that it will not tarnish, so there is no need to use a dulling sealant over the top – it will retain its shine and lustre for many years, whilst protecting the wood underneath from the elements,” adds Mr Howard.

The dome is Castle Howard’s defining architectural element. The enormous lead-lined cupola rises up from the stone drum which is surrounded by a ring of gigantic busts. The apex to the building is the small wooden lantern above the cupola, which in turn has its own little cap topped by a large carved finial. The lantern and finial together stand five metres high. The last time the dome was covered in gold leaf was in 1997, and before that in 1961 when the dome has been rebuilt after the fire of 1940.

Subject to favourable weather conditions, the scaffolding should be removed in mid-to-late September, when the golden crown on the majestic building will be revealed once again.