Leeds Castle Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Leeds Castle
Leeds Castle
General information
Architectural style	Castle
Address	Broomfield, Maidstone, Kent, ME17 1PL
Country	UK
Coordinates	51°14′56″N 0°37′48″E / 51.24889°N 0.63000°E / 51.24889; 0.63000
Construction started	857
Renovated	1278
Owner	Leeds Castle Foundation
Grounds	Built on islands in a lake formed by the River Len

Leeds Castle is a beautiful castle located in Kent, England. It sits about 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Maidstone. The castle is built on islands in a lake. This lake was formed by the River Len. It is a very old and important building, officially known as a Grade I listed building.

A castle has stood on this spot since the year 857. In the 1200s, it became a favorite home for King Edward I. Later, in the 1500s, King Henry VIII used it as a home for his first wife, Catherine of Aragon.

Most of the castle you see today was built in the early 1800s. Its last private owner, Olive, Lady Baillie, wanted everyone to enjoy it. She left the castle to a special trust. It has been open for visitors since 1976.

History of Leeds Castle
Visiting Leeds Castle
Filming Location
Inside Leeds Castle
See also

History of Leeds Castle

Early Beginnings and Royal Connections

An aerial view of Leeds Castle, showing its islands and lake.

The land where Leeds Castle stands was first owned by a Saxon chief named Led or Leed in 857. He built a wooden structure on two islands in the River Len. In 1119, Robert de Crevecoeur rebuilt it using stone. This was a strong Norman castle.

In 1278, King Edward I's wife, Queen Eleanor of Castile, bought the castle. It became one of Edward I's favorite places to stay. He spent a lot of money making it better. He likely created the lake around the castle. He also added a strong entrance called a barbican and a special living area for the king and queen.

A Castle Under Siege

In 1321, the castle was captured by King Edward II's forces. This happened after Margaret de Clare, Baroness Badlesmere refused to let the King's wife, Isabella of France, enter. Lady Badlesmere was in charge of the castle at the time. Her archers even shot at Isabella's group, killing six people. Lady Badlesmere was then held prisoner. After Edward II passed away in 1327, his widow, Isabella, made Leeds Castle her main home.

Later, Richard II's first wife, Anne of Bohemia, stayed at the castle in 1381. She was on her way to marry the king. In 1395, Richard met a French writer named Jean Froissart there. This meeting is written about in Froissart's Chronicles.

Tudor Transformations

Henry VIII made big changes to the castle in 1519. He did this for his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. A painting showing Henry VIII meeting the King of France still hangs in the castle today. Windows in the chapel and other rooms were repaired for royal visits.

In 1552, Leeds Castle was given to Sir Anthony St Leger. His family had a long history with the castle.

The Castle in Later Centuries

A doublet worn by Fairfax during the Battle of Maidstone

Civil War armor from the 1640s at Leeds Castle

The St Leger family owned the castle until 1618. Then it was sold to Sir Richard Smythe. His daughters later sold it to Sir Thomas Colepeper. An old silk quilt from the 1620s, now in a museum, is linked to Leeds Castle. This shows the castle's connection to important families and trade.

Leeds Castle was not destroyed during the English Civil War. This was because its owner, Sir Cheney Culpeper, supported the Parliamentarians. The castle was used to store weapons and as a prison during the war. Other members of the Culpeper family supported the King. They were given a lot of land in Virginia for helping the king's son escape. This land later helped the castle financially.

Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron was born at the castle in 1693. He later moved to North America to manage the Culpeper family's lands. This created a lasting link between the castle and America. There is a special sundial at the castle that shows the time in Virginia.

19th Century Changes

The new castle was finished in 1823 in the Tudor style.

Robert Fairfax owned the castle until 1793. Then it went to the Wykeham Martins family. They sold their lands in Virginia, which gave them a lot of money. This money was used to fix up and redesign the castle. It was completed in 1823 and looks much like it does today.

Modern Era and Public Access

A spiral staircase was added to the Fountain Court.

The Wykeham Martins family had to sell the castle in 1924. This was to pay taxes after someone passed away. The last private owner was Lady Olive, Lady Baillie. She bought the castle in 1926 for £180,000. She spent a lot of money making the inside beautiful. She worked with famous designers to add features like a grand oak staircase.

During the early part of World War II, the castle was used as a hospital. Lady Baillie and her daughters helped care for injured airmen. Many survivors remembered their time there fondly. When Lady Baillie passed away in 1974, she left the castle to the Leeds Castle Foundation. This is a charity that works to keep the castle and its grounds safe for everyone to visit.

The castle and its gardens were opened to the public in 1975 and 1976. This helped cover the costs of running the large estate. Leeds Castle has also been a place for important meetings. In 1978, it hosted talks between Egyptian, Israeli, and US leaders. It also hosted Northern Ireland peace talks in 2004.

In 2021, Leeds Castle Foundation received a grant from the government's Culture Recovery Fund. This helped support the castle. In 1952, the castle was named a Grade I listed building. This means it is a very important historical structure.

Visiting Leeds Castle

The maze at Leeds Castle has 2,400 yew trees and opened in 1988.

Leeds Castle and its grounds are a popular place for visitors. There is a golf course and a unique museum of dog collars. Kids can enjoy two adventure play areas. One is for younger children, and another is for those up to 14 years old.

A fun maze was opened in 1988. It is made from 2,400 yew trees and looks like a castle from above. In the middle of the maze, there is a raised viewpoint. From here, you can see the whole maze. There is also a special exit through a shell grotto.

The castle also offers places to stay for visitors. You can rent rooms inside the castle or try "Knight's Glamping." This is a campsite area with fancy tents.

In 2019, over 539,000 people visited Leeds Castle. Even with travel limits in 2020, many people still came to see this amazing place.

Filming Location

Leeds Castle has been used as a setting for many movies and TV shows. It appeared in the classic film Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949). It was also seen in The Moonraker (1958) and Waltz of the Toreadors (1962). More recently, it was used for Purge of Kingdoms (2019).

On television, the castle and its grounds were used for the entire Doctor Who story The Androids of Tara in 1978. Singer Cliff Richard also performed a concert there, called Castles in the Air.

Other productions filmed at the castle include The Hollow Crown TV series, a Bollywood movie called Rustom, and the film Darkest Hour. It has also been featured in cooking shows like Classic Mary Berry and family shows like What Would Your Kid Do?.