Belvoir Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Belvoir Castle |
|
|---|---|
Belvoir Castle
|
|
| 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 | |
|
Listed Building – Grade I
|
|
| Designated: | 14 July 1953 |
| Reference #: | 1360870 |
Belvoir Castle (pronounced BEE-vər) is a grand country house in Leicestershire, England. It looks like an old castle but was mostly built in the early 1800s. It's located about 6 miles west of Grantham and 10 miles northeast of Melton Mowbray.
A castle was first built here right after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It has been rebuilt several times since then. The current building is a special historic site, known as a Grade I listed building.
Belvoir Castle is the home of the David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland and his family. His family has owned it since 1508. Even though it's a private home, parts of it are open for people to visit.
The castle sits on a high hill in the northern part of Leicestershire. It's close to the borders of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. From the castle, you can see the beautiful Vale of Belvoir. Many small villages surround the estate, like Redmile and Bottesford.
The Belvoir estate is huge, covering about 15,000 acres (6,000 hectares). It's also home to the Belvoir Hunt, a fox-hunting group that started in 1750.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name Belvoir comes from Norman French and means beautiful view. When the French-speaking Normans arrived in England in the 11th century, they brought this name with them. However, the local Anglo-Saxons found it hard to say. They started calling it "Beaver Castle," and some people still use that name today!
A Look Back in Time
Early Norman Castle
.JPG)
The very first castle was built on this high ground by Robert de Todeni after 1066. It was a strong Norman fortress. Later, it was passed down through families. In 1257, it became a royal manor and was given to Robert de Ros. He was allowed to add battlements in 1267.
When the de Ros family line ended in 1508, the castle went to George Manners, 11th Baron de Ros. His son 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 Tudor manor house. It was finished in 1555. Much of the stone used for this house came from nearby old religious buildings that were no longer in use.
In the early 1600s, some servants were accused of harming the 6th Earl's young sons. During the English Civil War, Belvoir Castle was a key stronghold for King Charles I's supporters. King Charles himself stayed there for a night.
Rebuilding as a Country Home
In 1649, the Tudor building was destroyed by Parliamentarians because the family supported the King. But just six years later, in 1654, work began on a new large family home. It was designed by architect John Webb. This new house was completed by 1668 and cost a lot of money for that time.
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 and the main residence of the Dukes of Rutland for over 300 years.
The Grand Georgian Revival
In 1799, the 5th Duke of Rutland and his wife, Lady Elizabeth Howard, decided to rebuild the castle again. They chose architect James Wyatt to design it in the popular Gothic Revival style, which made it look like a medieval castle. To pay for this huge project, the Duke sold several villages and their lands.
The project was almost finished when a big fire broke out on October 26, 1816. Many valuable paintings by famous artists like Titian and Rubens were lost. The damage was estimated at £120,000, which was a huge amount of money back then.
The castle was rebuilt again, mostly following the same designs. This time, it cost an additional £82,000 and was largely finished by 1832. The result looks like a medieval castle, with a central tower similar to Windsor Castle.
While visiting Belvoir Castle in the 1840s, Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford, noticed that dinner was served very late. To fill the long gap between breakfast and dinner, she started having a light meal of tea, cakes, or sandwiches in the afternoon. This became known as Afternoon Tea and quickly became a popular tradition in many homes.
Today, the castle is open to the public. It has many beautiful works of art and grand rooms. Some of the most famous rooms are the Elizabeth Saloon, the Regents Gallery, and the State Dining Room.
The Estate and Gardens
The castle sits on an estate of nearly 15,000 acres (60 square kilometers).
Beautiful Belvoir Gardens
The Belvoir Gardens were designed by Elizabeth Howard, the 5th Duchess of Rutland, starting in 1799. The gardens have unique features, like a natural amphitheatre formed by glaciers. There's also a 'root house' or summer house that still exists today. This natural amphitheatre has fresh water springs, which help plants bloom all year.
Belvoir Gardens was also the first place to use mass spring flower bedding, a new idea at the time by the head gardener, Mr. Divers. The gardens are slowly being brought back to their original beauty. There's a program called "Friends of Belvoir Gardens" where volunteers help take care of them.
Family Burial Place
The traditional burial place for the Manners family was St Mary the Virgin's Church, Bottesford. This church holds monuments for all eight Earls of Rutland. However, since the family became Dukes in 1703, most Dukes have been buried in a mausoleum at Belvoir Castle.
The mausoleum was built by John Henry Manners, 5th Duke of Rutland, after his wife died in 1825. After it was built, many 18th-century monuments from Bottesford church were moved to the mausoleum, which then became the main burial place for the family.
Belvoir in Books and Movies
Belvoir Castle has been featured in books and used as a filming location for many movies and TV shows.
- A poem by Letitia Elizabeth Landon was inspired by a painting of Belvoir Castle.
- In 2012, Catherine Bailey wrote a book about the castle's history, uncovering a mystery about John Manners, the 9th Duke.
Many films and TV shows have used the castle as a backdrop, including:
- Little Lord Fauntleroy (1980)
- Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)
- King Ralph (1991)
- The Haunting (1999)
- Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story (2001)
- The Da Vinci Code (2006)
- The Young Victoria (2007)
- The Crown (TV series)
Belvoir Today
A part of Belvoir Castle is still the family home of the Manners family. The estate also hosts various events. In 2009, it hosted the CLA Game Fair.
In August 2010, the castle's website was accidentally hacked by a group who thought it was Belvoir Fortress in Israel.
Since 2013, a 24-hour ultra marathon called Equinox24 has been held on the estate each autumn. Runners complete a 10 km circuit with the castle in the background.
In 2019, a retail village opened below the castle. It has shops run by independent businesses, including a butcher's shop selling beef from the estate.
In 2021, a special Regency-themed Christmas event was held at the castle. It featured beautifully decorated rooms and a light trail.
In 2023, historic robes worn at the coronation of George VI in 1937 were displayed at the castle. These robes had also been worn by the tenth Duke of Rutland at the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953.
In early 2025, an exhibition called The Motherhood was held. It explored the lives and contributions of the duchesses and other women who have lived at the castle over the past 500 years. The exhibit included historic wedding gowns and other dresses.
In April 2025, Belvoir Castle featured an art installation inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This exhibit, with theatrical decorations and floral displays, was open to the public.
See also
In Spanish: Castillo de Belvoir para niños
- Belvoir - other places with similar names
- List of castles in Leicestershire
