Leeds Castle is a 900 year old castle (confusingly) located in Kent near Maidstone. The name is thought to come from a Saxon ruler called Leed or Led who first built a wooden fortification here in the mid ninth century across two islands in the Len river. After the Norman invasion, the de Crevecoeur family was given Leeds and rebuilt in stone in 1119, but little remains. A keep was built on the smaller island with the larger island serving as the bailey with a drawbridge linked the two. The family continued to live at Leeds until the 1260s despite siding against King Stephen during the anarchy.
A Queen's Castle
In 1278, Leeds became a royal castle. It was purchased by Eleanor of Castile, the wife of King Edward I, starting Leeds' long association with the queens of England. Eleanor invested a substantial amount in improving and extending the building. She added the barbican and wall around the bailey. The towers were later lowered but remain today. The queen also built gloriette on the smaller island and much of her castle is what we see today. Upon her death in 1290, Edward continued to develop the property, likely establishing the lake now surrounding the castle as well as a bath house set into the bailey wall.
In 1299, Edward remarried Marguerite of France. He gifted her Leeds, establishing the castle as a part of the queen's dower. She retained the property until her death in 1318. Rather than give Leeds to his wife, Isabella, King Edward II gave Leeds to a baron, Bartholomew Badlesmere in exchange for some other manors he held.
Leeds Under Siege
Badlesmere was from somewhat modest origins, hailing from a family of knights and judges. An able soldier, he served in Gascony and Scotland under Edward I and later as a retainer for the Earl of Lincoln. Badlesmere was also an able man who rose quickly in the court. He was made 1st Baron Badlesmere and served the Earl of Gloustershire, Gilbert de Clare, with whom he fought at the Battle of Bannockburn. His wife was a cousin Gilbert.
Badlesmere was sufficiently important enough by the late 1310s to be in the midst of the disastrous politics of Edward II's reign. He attempted to moderate the influence of Edward's numerous favorites by entering into an agreement with the Earls Pembroke and Hereford and the Archbishop of Canterbury to work for peace. In 1318, he was instrumental in reaching a peace agreement, the Treaty of Leake, between Edward II and his most dangerous appointment, Thomas Earl of Lancaster. Shortly after, he was appointed Edward's household steward, a great position of power and influence. Two years later, Badlesmere became the Warren of the CInque Ports and warden of Dover Castle.
But all these efforts for peace and moderation were not meant to be. The king's latest favorite, Hugh Despencer the Younger ruled the court. He dismissed and rebuked other nobles and caused a significant rift between Edward and his queen. The other nobles rebelled at the "evil counselors" of the king and rallied around Thomas of Lancaster. Civil war was imminent. Edward began targeting the rebels, particularly Badlesmere whose holdings were close to London. He was deprived of Dover and banned from Kent.
About this time, Queen Isabella went on a pilgrimage to Canterbury. In a likely devised scheme, she detoured to stop by Leeds on the way back to London. It is unsure what role or why Isabella participated - possibly irritation that a queen's castle was given to another baron, or an appeal of her loyalty to her husband under very strained relations, or even under threat from the powerful Despencers. Badlesmere was away planning rebellion, but his wife Margaret was in residence.
Isabella demanded entrance, but was denied by Margaret as her husband had charged her to admit no one. There also appears to have been antipathy between the two women. Isabella forced the point and Margaret's archers loosed their arrows. The queen's retinue had approached to take the castle by force and were struck, killing six. Isbella retreated and found more hospitable lodging for the night.
Edward was irrate at the treatment of his wife, at least publicly. He was delighted to have a cause to make warfare and promptly sieged Leeds. Margaret had only her husband's nephew, Bartholomew Burghersh, and her retainers to fight the King of England, She hoped that Lancaster, her husband, and the other rebellious nobels would bring an army to relieve her. After five days, with no support in sight, Margaret surrended Leeds with a promise of leniency. Instead, she and her five children and nephew were bundled off to the Tower of London (she is the first recorded female prisioner). Edward hung the seneschal and twelve of the garrison from the battlements.
This encounter sparked open civil war. Edward defeated the rebellion in March 1322 at the Battle of Boroughbridge. The leaders who weren't killed in battle were executed shortly after, including Badlesmere. As a traitor his vast properties were forfeit to the crown, including Leeds.
Queen Isabella did not immediately receive Leeds after the downfall of Badlesmere. By this point, she, too, was estranged from her husband and his favorites. Under the auspice of diplomacy, Isabella went to France in 1325 and only returned with her son, Edward III, and an invasion to overthrow her husband. Upon defeated her spouse and enthroning her son, Isabella finally received Leeds and enjoyed it until her death in 1358. Her son followed in his father's footsteps and did not award the property to his own wife, Philippa, but did invest in the castle with a new drawbridge and enhanced fortifcations.
Subsequent Ladies of Leeds
Edward's heir and grandson, Richard II reinstated the tradition of giving Leeds to the Queen. Anne of Bohemia, in 1382. She stayed here for Christmas before her wedding and the devoted couple spent a good deal of time at Leeds. Even after her untimely death in 1394, Richard used the castle regularly and hosted the chronicalist Jean Froissart in 1395 who wrote of the beautiful palace in Leeds.
The occasion may have added to Richard's intense grief over the loss of his wife. Shortly after, he awarded the castle to Joan de Mohun. She was the daughter of Bartholomew Burghersh who helped defend Leeds against Edward II and so, for a few years, the castle reverted to the Badlesmere descendents. Joan died in 1304 and was interred in Canterbury Cathedral (you can see her beautiful tomb today).
At this point, Henry IV had overthrown his cousin, RIchard II, and was ruling England. The new king's first wife had died at the same time as Queen Anne. She had provided the king with four sons before her death so the succession appeared secure. Henry had remained single for nearly a decade, but an alliance with Navarre proved beneficial against the French and so he married the recently widowed Joan of Navarre.
in 1413, Henry IV died. As part of her dower, Joan retained Leeds. It was on loan to the Archbishop of Canterbury for a time. But in 1419, her stepson accused her of witchcraft, confiscated her wealth, and imprisoned her, both at Pevensey and Leeds Castles. The intensity of her capitivity varied, but Henry V seems to have had a change of heart and pardoned her in 1422, about six weeks before his death.
His pardon, however, did not reinstate Leeds Castle to Joan Valois. By now there was a new queen, Catherine Valois, and Henry V left her the castle upon his death along with substantial other holdings to support her in her widowhood while she raised the infant Henry VI. She would retain the castle for the remainder of her life.
The Tudors and Leeds
Catherine Valois was left a young widow and still quite marriageable. In 1427, a bill was drawn up that any man she married would forfeit his possessions. But Parliament didn't stop Catherine from persuing a romance with Owen Tudor. It is not known whether or not they were married, but Owen was given the rights of an Englishman in 1432 (signicant given the oppressive laws towards the Welsh) and their children seemed to be without taint of bastardry. She moved out of Windsor while pregnant with her first son by Tudor and frequented Hertfordshire and Leeds. Catherine of Valois died in childbirth in 1437. She left behind Edmund, who would father Henry VII, and Jasper, who would help his nephew gain the throne of England.
Her grandson didn't take much interest in Leeds, but his son, the indominable Henry VIII invested heavily in the castle. Over a six year period beginning in 1517, Henry transformed Leeds into a palace for his bride, Catherine of Aragon. An upper floor was added for her comfort and her emblem, the pomegranate, can still be seen on the fireplace. Leeds helped supply provisions for the Field of the Cloth of Gold, a peace meeting between Francis I of France and Henry VIII. A painting commemorating the event hangs nearby.
In 1536, orders were placed for new glazing in the chapel though Catherine would not enjoy them. Anne Boleyn had replaced the queen in Henry's affections and she was banished to Kimbolton Castle in 1534. It is unlikely that Anne enjoyed this new glazing either as she was beheaded for adultery in May 1536. Work continued with the Maiden Tower completed in 1544. It is known that Catherine Parr, Henry's sixth and final wife stayed at Leeds.
In 1552, Henry's son, Edward VI, gave the palace to Anthony St. Leger thus ending the castle's official royal association. One more queen would be imprisoned here - Elizabeth I prior to her coronation was underguard at Leeds.
Later History and Decay
Leeds then passed from family to family either through marriage or a desperate need for funds. It was badly damaged by Dutch prisoners in the late 17th century when they set the apartments alight. Subsequent owners built a Jacobean house in the bailey that was modified in the Georgian period. Decades of neglect left the castle derelict when Fiennes Wykeham Martin inherited in 1821. He restored the castle and replaced the ruinous house in the bailey with the the new castle in the Tudor style. He also repaired the Gloriette and shored up the Maiden's tower.
In 1925, the Wykeham Martins sold Leeds to pay death duties. The fabulously weathly and well-connected Olive Paget bought the castle with her second husband, Arthur Wilson-Filmer. They divorced a few years later and she remarried in 1931 to Sir Adrian Baillie, 6th Baronet, becoming Lady Baillie.
Rescue by Lady Baillie
Lady Baillie had the financial depths to restore Leeds as a country retreat. She worked closed with architect Owen Little to restore the hall into a library and add the staircase and inner hall. For restoration of the Gloriette and the upper apartments, Lady Baillie hired Armand-Albert Rateau. Modern plumbing and comforts were brought in along with French antiques to marry the old and new. Famed interior designer, Stephane Boudin, built on this work in the 1930s to create lush interiors.
The house and hostess were constantly entertaining the upper eschelons of society as well as film stars. Charlie Chapman, Errol Flynn, and Douglas Fairbanks all graced the home. But when war broke out, things at Leeds Castle couldn't go on untouched. The property served as a hospital and convalescent home. Both of Lady Baillie's daughters and herself volunteered as nurses while her young son was sent to American relatives for safety. The grounds hosted military tests and weapons research as well.
After the war, Lady Baillie continued to improve the house for her children and grandchildren. Shortly before her death in 1974, she laid out plans for a foundation to maintain the castle for future generations.
Opening to the Public
Although Lady Baillie provided a sizeable endowment to support the foundation, the cost of maintaining Leeds far exceeded what was available. The castle was initially opened for corporate retreats. Later the grounds were opened and the bed and breakfast was added on site. Today, Leeds Castle is a popular destination for families and conventions alike with activities throughout the year and improvements in the grounds like a playground, tourist train, and boat rides.
Logistics
Getting to Leeds Castle:
There is ample, free parking onsite for those coming by car.
By train, take the Southeastern line towards Ashford from Charing Cross to Maidstone East and catch the bus, 13 - Hollingbourne and get off at The George stop. Leeds Castle offers 20% discounts for those arriving by bike or public transit via Good Journey.
Tickets & Hours:
The base ticket is the Explorer ticket. The Ultimate Explorer ticket includes the base visit plus six trips on the seasonal ferry or castle train and one round of Adventure Golf. An informative audio guide is included with Explorer and Ultimate Explorer tickets. It costs £4 for group admission tickets.
Tickets are not cheap, but are good for one year from the day of booking. There are also Family tickets and offers for disabled visitors and carers. All tickets levels are cheaper online so book ahead! Explorer tickets are included for overnight guests. See current prices here.
The grounds are open 10a to 6p (5p from October to March), last entry 2 hours before closing. The castle is open 10:30a to 5:30p (3:30p from October to March), last entry 30 minutes before closing.
What to Do:
Tour the Castle (45m to 1h)
Explore the grounds and gardens
Enjoy one of the two playgrounds or at the beach (a massive sandbox)
Play adventure golf or book a real round of golf (additional cost)
Watch a falconry demonstration
Explore the maze and underground grotto
Visit the dog collar museum
There is regular programming throughout the year. Check the website to see what is on. There are also segway tours and a zipline
Where to Stay:
Leeds is a stones throw from Maidstone and there are several inns nearby. But for the ultimate experience, stay at Leeds Castle. There is a range of rooms from glamping to staying in the castle itself to fit any size party. The best part of being a guest is that you have continual access to the grounds, from 1p on the day of your arrival until you leave. Being able to enjoy the extensive property without crowds of guests is well worth considering. Plus, admission (explorer rate) to the castle in included in stays. Aside from glamping, a full breakfast is included in the restaurant for guests.
Where to Eat:
There is a cafe in the stable yard. Dining reservations are welcome, but booking ahead is recommended. Picnics are welcome and you will find plenty of tables scattered around the grounds. Barbeques are not allowed.
In nearby Harrietsham, Percival's Rest serves up
Accessibility:
Leeds gets an A+ for accessibility. The caretakers of the site have gone above and beyond to partner with disability programs like the Sunflower Lanyard Scheme and the Dementia Access Alliance. There is a free mobility bus for those who need assistance, accessible restrooms with a full sized changing table, and accessible routes in the castle and grounds with lifts. Although mobility scooters aren't allowed in the castle, there are wheelchairs for the interior. Only service dogs are permitted on the grounds.
Other Important Information:
Strollers are not allowed in the castle or restaurant, but stroller parking is offered.
Only service dogs are permitted due to the wildlife on the estate.
Bikes and scooters are prohibited on the grounds.
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