One less happy practice Vanbrugh introduced with Carlisle at Castle Howard was that of razing estate villages and moving the occupants elsewhere if they were deemed to be insufficiently picturesque or intrusive. At Castle Howard, Vanbrugh cleared away not only an existing village but also a church and the ruined castle from which the new house took its name. Soon villages up and down the country were being leveled to make way for more extensive houses and unimpeded views. It was almost as if a rich person couldn't begin work on a grand house until he had thoroughly disrupted at least a few dozen menial lives. Oliver
Vanbrugh's approach at Castle Howard included the drastic measure of dismantling local villages and relocating their inhabitants if they failed to meet aesthetic standards. This practice involved not only the removal of homes but also a church and a historic castle, which highlighted the extreme lengths taken to achieve a picturesque environment for the elite. Over time, this trend spread across the country, as wealthy individuals began flattening villages to enhance the views from their grand residences.
This destruction of local communities served as a precursor to the construction of opulent homes, indicating a troubling notion where the privileged believed they needed to upend ordinary lives in their pursuit of beauty and status. The practice reflects an era where the needs and lives of the less fortunate were sacrificed for the grandeur and satisfaction of the wealthy, showcasing a stark disparity in lifestyle and values.
