Belvoir Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Belvoir Castle |
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Belvoir Castle
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Location | Northeast Leicestershire |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 52°53′40.2″N 0°46′57.22″W / 52.894500°N 0.7825611°W |
| Elevation | 138 metres (453 ft) |
| Groundbreaking | 1067 |
| Renovated | 1801–1832 |
| Owner | David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | James Wyatt |
| Designations | |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Designated: | 14 July 1953 |
| Reference #: | 1360870 |
Belvoir Castle (pronounced BEE-vər) is a beautiful castle and grand home in Leicestershire, England. It's located not far from the towns of Grantham and Melton Mowbray. A castle was first built here right after the Normans took over England in 1066. It has been rebuilt many times since then.
The castle you see today was mostly built in the early 1800s. It looks like an old medieval castle, but it's actually a newer design. It is the home of David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland, whose family has lived there for over 500 years. For a long time, the family was buried in a nearby church. But since 1825, they have been buried in a special building called a mausoleum next to the castle. Belvoir Castle is still owned by the Duke of Rutland, but it is open for people to visit.
The castle sits at the very northern edge of Leicestershire. It is surrounded by Lincolnshire to the east and Nottinghamshire to the west. It looks out over the Vale of Belvoir to the northwest. The old writer John Leland once said that "the Castle stands on the very nape of a high hill, steep up each way." This means it's on top of a very tall hill, making it a great lookout spot.
The Belvoir estate is huge, covering about 15,000 acres (6,000 hectares). It's known for being the home of the Belvoir Hunt, a famous fox-hunting group that started in 1750.
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What's in a Name?
The name Belvoir means beautiful view in Norman French. This name was brought over by the French-speaking Normans in the 11th century. The local Anglo-Saxons, who spoke Middle English, found it hard to say "Belvoir." So, they started calling it "Beaver Castle," and some people still use that name today!
Castle History
Early Norman Castle
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An early Norman castle was first built on this high ground. It was owned by a man named Robert de Todeni around 1086. Later, it passed to his family and then to the de Ros family. In 1257, the castle became a royal manor. The family was given permission to add battlements to the castle in 1267.
When the male de Ros family line ended in 1508, the castle went to George Manners, 11th Baron de Ros. He inherited it through his mother. His son later became the first Earl of Rutland in 1525.
Tudor Manor House
By 1464, the original Norman castle was in ruins. In 1528, Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland began building a large new home. This was a grand Tudor manor house, which was finished in 1555. Much of the stone for this new building came from nearby old religious buildings that were no longer in use.
In the early 1600s, King James VI and I and his son, Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, even stayed at the castle. During the English Civil War, Belvoir Castle was an important stronghold for King Charles I of England and his supporters. King Charles himself stayed there for a night.
A Grand Country Home
In 1649, the Tudor building was torn down by Parliament's forces. This happened because the Manners family supported the King during the Civil War. But just six years later, in 1654, a new large family home was started. It was designed by the architect John Webb. This new home was finished by 1668.
In 1703, the 9th Earl was given the title of Duke of Rutland. Belvoir Castle has been the home of the Manners family for 500 years. It has been the main residence of the Dukes of Rutland for over 300 years.
The Georgian Revival
In 1799, the 5th Duke of Rutland and his wife, Lady Elizabeth Howard, decided to rebuild the castle again. They wanted it to look like a romantic Gothic Revival castle. The Duke was one of the richest landowners in the country. He sold several villages and their lands to pay for this huge project.
The building was almost finished when a big fire broke out on October 26, 1816. Many valuable artworks, including paintings by famous artists like Titian and Rubens, were lost. The damage was estimated to be very high.
The castle was rebuilt again, mostly following the same plans. It was largely finished by 1832. The new castle looked like a medieval fortress, with a central tower similar to Windsor Castle.
While visiting Belvoir Castle in the 1840s, Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford, found that dinner was served very late. She felt hungry between breakfast and dinner. So, she started having a light meal of tea and snacks in the afternoon. This became known as Afternoon Tea. She enjoyed it so much that she invited her friends to join her. Soon, afternoon tea became a popular tradition in many homes.
Today, the castle is open to the public. It has many beautiful works of art. Some of the most famous rooms you can visit are the lavish state rooms. These include the Elizabeth Saloon, the Regents Gallery, and the Roman-inspired State Dining Room.
The Estate and Gardens
The castle sits on a large estate of almost 15,000 acres (about 60 square kilometers).
Beautiful Belvoir Gardens
The Belvoir Gardens were designed by Elizabeth Howard, the 5th Duchess of Rutland, in 1799. The gardens have many unique features. For example, there's a natural amphitheatre that faces the estate. This was formed by ancient glaciers. There's also a "root house" or summer house that is still there today. This natural amphitheatre has fresh water springs, which help plants bloom all year round.
Belvoir Gardens was also the first place to use mass spring flower bedding. This idea was developed by Mr. Divers, who was the head gardener at the time.
The gardens were once very grand and are now being carefully restored. A program called "Friends of Belvoir Gardens" encourages volunteers to help take care of these beautiful historic gardens.
Family Burial Place
The Manners family traditionally buried their loved ones at St Mary the Virgin's Church, Bottesford. However, since the family became Dukes in 1703, most Dukes have been buried in a special building called a mausoleum at Belvoir Castle.
The mausoleum at Belvoir Castle was built by John Henry Manners, 5th Duke of Rutland. He built it after his wife, Elizabeth Howard, passed away in 1825. After it was built, many of the old family monuments from the church were moved to the mausoleum. It then became the main burial place for the family.
Who is Buried There?
Several members of the Manners family are buried in the mausoleum, including:
- John Manners, 1st Duke of Rutland
- John Manners, 2nd Duke of Rutland
- John Manners, 3rd Duke of Rutland
- Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland
- John Manners, 5th Duke of Rutland
- Marion Margaret Violet Lindsay Manners, Duchess of Rutland
- Duff Cooper, 1st Viscount Norwich
- Diana Cooper, Viscountess Norwich
- Charles Manners, 10th Duke of Rutland
Belvoir in Books and Films
Belvoir Castle has appeared in books and been used as a filming location.
- In 2012, Catherine Bailey wrote a book about Belvoir Castle. It explored a mystery about one of its past residents, John Manners, 9th Duke of Rutland. She found this mystery while looking through the castle's old records.
What Happens at Belvoir Today?
A part of the castle is still used as the family home for the Manners family. Belvoir Castle has been a popular place for filming movies and TV shows. Some of these include Little Lord Fauntleroy (1980), The Da Vinci Code, Young Sherlock Holmes (1985), The Young Victoria (2007), and The Crown.
The castle grounds are also used for different events. The Belvoir Cricket Club plays there. The CLA Game Fair was held there in 2009. Since 2013, a 24-hour ultra marathon called Equinox24 has been held each year (except 2020). Runners complete a 10-kilometer circuit around the estate with the castle in the background.
In 2010, the castle's website was accidentally hacked. The hackers thought it was Belvoir Fortress, which is in Israel, and put different text on the pages.
See also
In Spanish: Castillo de Belvoir para niños
- Belvoir - a page that lists other places named Belvoir
- List of castles in Leicestershire
- Treasure Houses of Britain - a 1985 TV show that featured Belvoir Castle
Images for kids
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Belvoir Castle
