THE famous dome of Castle Howard is to be crowned in gold, following more than a week of intricate gilding work.

The work is being done on the lantern - the decorative feature which sits on top of the dome. Over the last couple of weeks it has been covered in scaffolding, as the wooden finial, cornice and windows of the lantern were prepared for the work with protective yellow paint.

Sheets of 23.5 carat gold leaf are being applied to the woodwork, which, according to Nicholas Howard, will soon be seen glistening in the sun from miles around.

Mr Howard said: "The lantern is the crowning glory which sits on top of Castle Howard's dome.

"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."

Mr Howard added: "Approximately 1,000 sheets will be used, but the gold leaf is so thin that the entire weight of the gold used comes to a mere 16 grams. This would be roughly equivalent to the weight of a medium-sized bracelet; or if it was rolled into a ball it would be a similar size to a marble.

"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."

Subject to favourable weather conditions, the scaffolding should be removed in mid-to-late September.