© Provided by Daily MailSimon Howard, 65, is accused of indecent assault and incitement to commit an act of gross indecency in 1984
An aristocrat has appeared before a court to deny sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 14 at his family's famous stately home, which has featured as a set in Bridgerton and Brideshead Revisited.
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The alleged offences occurred at Castle Howard in North Yorkshire which Simon Howard, 65, ran for 30 years.
Howard, who now lives near Malton, North Yorkshire, appeared at York Magistrates' Court today accused of indecent assault and incitement to commit an act of gross indecency in 1984.
He appeared before District Judge Adrian Lower by video link for the brief hearing this afternoon.
The court heard that he is charged with one count of indecent assault against a girl under the age of 14 and another of inciting the same girl to commit an act of gross indecency.
Both offences are alleged to have taken place between January 1 and March 31 1984.
Howard indicated that he would enter not guilty pleas to both counts and District Judge Lower sent the case to York Crown Court.
© Provided by Daily MailCastle Howard, which was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh and built between 1699 and 1712, has been home to ten generations of the Howard family for more than 300 years
He told Howard: 'The matters you face are too serious to be dealt with at this court and so they will be allocated to the crown court at York and your first appearance there will be on March 15.'
Judge Lower asked Mr Hussain the basis for Howard's, defence, saying: 'What is the nature of the defence, is it a factual denial or is there more to it?'
Mr Hussain replied: 'It is a factual denial sir.'
The defence will also be preparing medical evidence before the case is first placed before the higher court.
Mr Hussain further asked that a video interview conducted with the complainant be served on the defence before the next court date.
© Provided by Daily MailSimon Howard at Castle Howard in North Yorkshire, which he ran for 30 years
District Judge Lower reminded the media that the complainant in the case is 'afforded automatic anonymity for the rest of her life.'
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He also enquired of Mr Hussain how Howard was paying for his legal representation, saying: 'I am assuming Mr Howard is funding you privately?'
Mr Hussain replied: 'He is sir, yes.'
A family statement released last week said Howard strongly denies the charges.
It read: 'Simon Howard's whole family are shocked by these allegations and are fully supportive of SH's confidence that he is innocent of all charges - which he denies in the strongest possible terms.'
In a statement, the Castle Howard estate said: 'Simon Howard is no longer involved with Castle Howard, having stepped down as a director and shareholder five years ago.'
Castle Howard, considered one of Britain's finest stately homes, is owned by Castle Howard Estates Ltd, of which
© Provided by Daily MailCastle Howard, which has 145 rooms, is considered one of the finest stately homes in the UK
Simon Howard and his elder brother Nicholas were each 50 per cent shareholders.
But trouble struck the family in 2014 when Simon Howard, his wife Rebecca and their two children left the 10,000 acre, 18th century estate.
Nicholas, 68, and his wife Victoria Barnsley, 66, were reported to have held a summit with Mr Howard in which he was told they would be moving in to replace him.
Friends said he was asked to step down as chairman of the board of directors at Castle Howard.
To be asked to leave the ancestral seat where he had lived all his life and run as a 'tight ship' for 30 years 'ripped out his heart' friends claimed.
He and Rebecca, 53, a descendant of the Sieff family who founded Marks and Spencer, moved out of the house with their then 12-year-old twins and took up residence at sprawling manor house Welham Hall in Malton, North Yorkshire.
Castle Howard, which was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh and built between 1699 and 1712, has been home to ten generations of the Howard family for more than 300 years.
The grand house, which has 145 rooms, is considered one of the finest stately homes in the UK and also doubled as Brideshead in the classic TV series Brideshead Revisited, as well as Clyvedon Castle in Bridgerton.
The Howard family are descended from Lord William Howard, the youngest son of Thomas Howard, the 4th Duke of Norfolk.
Lord William, known as 'Belted Will' took possession of Henderskelfe in Yorkshire, the site of Castle Howard as it stands now, as part of the inheritance of his wife, Elizabeth Dacre.
Charles Howard, the 3rd Earl of Carlisle, (1679-1738) is credited as the creator of the house and gardens at Castle Howard as it is seen today.
The estate was the fictional Brideshead, both in Granada Television's 1981 adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited and a two-hour 2008 remake for cinema.
It has also hosted ITV's hit series Victoria, Sky's The Queen & I, BBC drama Death Comes To Pemberley, and feature film Garfield 2.
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