The land at Harewood Park was part of a royal hunting estate, which was granted by King John to the Knights Templar of the nearby village of Garway in 1215.

The land was then sold, first to the brothers Robert and Hugh Thornhill and then, in 1547, to the Browne family who built a large house on the site.

Around 1651–54, the house was bought by Bennet Hoskyns MP, who had the unusual distinction of both being appointed a High Sheriff under Cromwell, and later being made a baronet by Charles II.

The house was again substantially rebuilt in 1839 by the 7th Baronet, Sir Hungerford Hoskyns, who had built an 11-bay, three-storey entrance front, featuring a grand porch with Tuscan columns, and two wings.

The declining fortunes of the Hoskyns family resulted in the house being sold in 1892 to Henry Harrison Parry, who also owned a brewery in Leicester.

New woodland was to be planted, and schemes were included to retain water run-off and filter sewage in reed filtration beds.

The Duchy's website states:[3]When complete the project will consist of a replacement principal dwelling as a focal point of the estate, the restoration of a Grade II listed stable block and former chapel together with the sympathetic rebuilding of eight additional dwellings linked with more than 10,000 square feet (930 m2) of high quality offices offering a combination of residential and workplace facilities for up to 100 people.

[10][11] This speculation died down after Anmer Hall on the Sandringham estate was named in April 2013 as the official country residence of William and Catherine when the lease expired.