England
Kent

Leeds Castle

A former royal palace begun in the 12th century, Leeds Castle has to be one of the most beautifully situated medieval castles in England, projecting into its natural lake, and surrounded by 500 acres of beautiful parkland and gardens.

There was a Saxon royal manor here as early as 857 AD, After the Norman invasion the manor was held by the Crevecoeur family (literal translation, "breakheart"), who rebuilt the manor as a stone dwelling. From 1278 the castle belonged to the crown. In that year Edward I began building the barbican and the unusual fortified mill. In 1321 the castle garrison refused to admit Queen Isabella, and Edward II duly besieged the castle and forced it into submission.

From that point Leeds seems to have gained a reputation as being a "ladies castle", and no less than six queens of England resided there over the years.

Leeds Castle was greatly enjoyed by Henry VIII, who added many of the Tudor windows. Henry stayed at Leeds on his way to his famous meeting with Francis I of France at the Field of the Cloth of Gold in 1520. Marvelous paintings in the Banqueting Hall portray the event.

In the 17th century the castle was sold to Sir Anthony St. Leger, whose descendants built an estate house on the largest of the islands in Leeds lake. This house was later sold to the Culpeper family, who successfully managed to support both sides in the Civil War and the subsequent Restoration. Finally, in the 20th century the house passed to Lady Baillie, who spent considerable time and money refurbishing the interior and turning the living quarters into a sumptuous treasure trove stocked with ceramics, paintings, furniture, and tapestries. It was Lady Baillie who established the Leeds Castle Foundation, which has administered the castle since her death.

Within the castle is a unique display of antique dog collars.

THE GARDENS
The extensive parkland surrounding the castle was landscaped in the early 18th century. Many of the trees that were planted then still remain. The park is split by streams and lakes that are home to over 30 species of waterfowl. The Duckery provides habitat for ducks, geese, and swans. There is a lovely woodland garden, at its best in spring when daffodils, narcissi, and anenomies are in bloom, and an English Cottage Garden. Leeds Castle is also home to the National Collection of Bergamot.

In the gardens is an aviary housing rare and endangered bird species from across the globe. More exotic still is the yew Maze, planted and trimmed to resemble a topiary castle. Within the Maze is a secret underground grotto. The Leeds Castle vineyard was mentioned in the Domesday Book, and after a break of 5 centuries the fruits of the vineyard are once again being used to produce fine wine.

The castle hosts a year-round schedule of special events, including open-air concerts, a vintage car gathering, firework display, and ballooning festival. For details and event schedules visit the Leeds Castle website at http://www.leeds-castle.co.uk/

IMAGES
See our Leeds Castle Photo Gallery

CONTACT
Leeds Castle Enterprises Ltd.
Maidstone
Kent
ME17 1PL
Tel: +44 (0) 1622 765400
Fax: +44 (0) 1622 735616
Email: enquiries@leeds-castle.co.uk
Web site: http://www.leeds-castle.co.uk/

ACCESSIBILITY
A maximum of two wheelchairs are permitted inside the Castle at any one time. The upstairs of the castle is not wheelchair accessible, but many parts of the gardens can be visited.

KENT TRAVEL GUIDE

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