Harewood House

I recently called at Harewood House, the grand Palladian mansion situated between Leeds and Harrogate. It is the family home of the Earls of Harewood, but now belongs to a Trust (presumably for the sake of death duties) and the family may use it only on 25th and 26th of December without having to pay hire charges. It was once home to Princess Mary, sole daughter of George V, who married the Viscount Lascelles, heir to the earldom. The country house therefore has a strong royal connection, its earls cousins to the monarch. It was from its grounds that in March, 1965, the late Princess Royal was summoned to meet her Maker.  

The house is relatively small but pleasantly constructed. It is less opulent than neighbouring pile Castle Howard, but more homely, if such a rambling mansion can ever warrant this adjective. Despite the earlier Lascelles family getting their fingers mucky in the grubby business of the slave trade, marrying into the royal family made their respectability assured.

Sadly, we called at the house during late December, and were treated to an endless parade of Christmas trees, talking baubles, projected comic faces onto statues and even -wait for it- old oil paintings covered up so moving pictures of flowers could be projected onto them. There probably is a market for Christmas kitsch in our great country houses; relatives of mine have spent a fortune inspecting the Christmas wares of Chatsworth. Yet I thought this house was great enough without all that sparkly bling and flashing bulbs. This was the home of a royal princess set amidst landscaping designed by "Capability" Brown. It was like a naturally beautiful face groaning under the weight of lipstick and rouge.

The Apostle Peter admonishes Christian women in 1:3:3-4:

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

Just as Harewood House does not need tinsel and glitter to make it spectacular, so the Christian woman (and man, for that matter) needs no jewels or expensive, designer clothes to improve her looks. Her deeds and natural godliness should be adornment enough. The Christian man should be known for his character and temperament, rather than his heavy watch or car engine's horsepower.