Kimbolton Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kimbolton Castle |
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The castle in 2011
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Kimbolton Castle is a famous old country house in Kimbolton, Cambridgeshire, England. It's known for being the last home of Catherine of Aragon, who was the first wife of King Henry VIII.
Even though it's called a castle, it started as a medieval fortress. Over time, it was changed into a grand palace. From 1615 until 1950, it was the family home of the powerful Earls and Dukes of Manchester. Today, Kimbolton Castle is home to Kimbolton School, a private school.
Contents
History of Kimbolton Castle
Kimbolton Castle has a long and interesting past, stretching back many centuries. It has seen many changes and been home to important historical figures.
Early Beginnings
The first castle was built in the late 1100s by a nobleman named Geoffrey Fitz Peter, 1st Earl of Essex. Later, in the late 1400s, parts of the castle's inner area were rebuilt by Anne, Duchess of Buckingham.
Catherine of Aragon's Final Home
In 1522, Sir Richard Wingfield bought the castle. A few years later, in April 1534, Kimbolton Castle became the final home for Catherine of Aragon. She was the first wife of King Henry VIII.
Catherine was sent here because she refused to accept that her marriage to the King was no longer valid. The damp weather in the area was bad for her health. She sadly passed away at the castle on January 7, 1536.
The Montagu Family Era
In 1615, Sir Henry Montagu bought the castle. He later became the 1st Earl of Manchester. His family, the Montagus, owned the castle for over 300 years.
The 4th Earl of Manchester, who became the 1st Duke of Manchester in 1719, made many big changes to the castle. Between 1690 and 1720, he had parts of it rebuilt. This included fixing the south wing, which had fallen down. Famous architects like Sir John Vanbrugh helped with these designs.
Later, in 1766, the 4th Duke of Manchester asked another famous architect, Robert Adam, to design the castle's gatehouse. Many members of the Montagu family are buried at St Andrew's Church in Kimbolton. Their tombs and a special family vault can still be found there.
Kimbolton Castle Today
In 1949, the 10th Duke of Manchester sold everything inside the castle. The next year, in 1951, the castle and about 50 acres of land were sold to Kimbolton School. Since then, it has been used as a school building.
Warren House
On the castle grounds, there's a building called Warren House. It used to be where the "warrener" lived. A warrener was a person who looked after the rabbits on the estate.
In the late 1700s, Warren House was changed into a "folly." A folly is a building that looks interesting but doesn't have a real purpose. It was built with a fancy front wall facing the castle, just to make the view more exciting. Today, Warren House is owned by the Landmark Trust, which takes care of historic buildings. It was renovated between 2011 and 2012.
See also
In Spanish: Castillo de Kimbolton para niños
Images for kids
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Kimbolton Castle in 1880. This picture shows the mansion after it was rebuilt between 1690 and 1720.
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The gatehouse at Kimbolton School.
