Welcome to Leeds Castle

Welcome to Leeds Castle. . Listed in the Domesday Book of 1086, Leeds Castle has been a Norman stronghold, a royal residence for six of England's medieval queens, a palace belonging to Henry VIII and a country retreat for influential 20th-century figures., You are standing on the site of the Barbican, a fortified tower, designed to be the main entrance to the Castle and a key defence to protect the water supply to the moat and the watermill., The Barbican and Fortified Mill now stand as the ruinous remains of the outer defences of Leeds Castle. They are situated just outside the Gatehouse. before crossing the Moat Bridge onto Castle Island. When they were constructed in the 13th century, they stood on an island surrounded by water defences, thereby making three separate defensible areas., The Outer Barbican contained a mill that was fortified against attackers, providing a source of food production if the Castle ever became besieged. This structure had one external gateway protected by a portcullis to the north and was connected to the Inner Barbican by a bridge. The Inner Barbican had two external gates both protected by portcullises. A drawbridge connected the Inner Barbican to the Gatehouse on the main Castle Island., Despite its heavily fortified appearance, Leeds Castle was not built primarily for defence and it became known as a place of beauty, respite and luxury., The area surrounding the Castle was carefully designed to include raised viewing points from which the building could be seen at best advantage. Its situation on two raised islands surrounded by water and the reflected views continue to inspire wonder today., From here, continue across the bridge onto Castle Island and into the Gatehouse Exhibition before entering the Castle itself., There you will learn about the royal history of Leeds Castle, including the enduring influence of six medieval queens, as well as the influential families who made the Castle their home. Among them was the key figure of Lady Olive Baillie, a wealthy Anglo-American heiress, who secured the future of Leeds Castle when she bought it in 1926. During the 20th century, Lady Baillie and a team of acclaimed designers extensively renovated not only the Castle interiors but also the whole estate., Alongside a close circle of friends, Lady Baile enjoyed Leeds Castle as her luxurious country house and weekend retreat before setting up a charitable trust to care for it after her death in 1974., The core aim of the Leeds Castle Foundation, an independent charity established in 1974, is the preservation of the Castle, its collections and interiors, and its estate for the benefit of the public., Did you know? , The name 'Leeds Castle' derives from the ancient Saxon manor of Esledes recorded on this site in 1086. Construction of the first stone castle began in 1119 by Robert de Crevecoeur, a descendent of me of William II's knights., Did you know? , Leeds Castle was twice besieged in 1139 and 1321 respectively but otherwise saw little military action.