Leeds Castle 1119-2019

Leeds Castle in Kent, has been a Norman stronghold, a royal residence and a royal palace. It's situation is stunning, set on two islands in a magnificent lake.
The Royal Manor was originally built in 857AD and owned by a Saxon royal family. After the Norman Conquest, work began on building the first stone castle, completed in 1119. In 1278 the Castle became a royal palace for Edward I and his Queen, Eleanor of Castile. Major improvements were made to the castle during the reign of Edward I. . The medieval Keep, with the Great Hall, is called the Gloriette, in honor of Queen Eleanor. In 1321, King Edward II gave the castle to his Royal Steward. When Edward's Queen Isabella arrived at the Castle ,seeking shelter, she was refused admission and even fired upon by archers. Edward II was not amused and successfully lay siege to the castle. Six years later Edward was murdered but Queen Isabella kept the castle until she died in 1358.
During its lifetime, the castle has been home to six medieval queens , Eleanor, Isabella, Philippa of Hainhault (wife of Edward III), Joan of Navarre, Catherine de Valois and Catherine of Aragon. Elizabeth I was imprisoned here for a time before her coronation. Leeds Castle is often referred to as the Castle of Queens, Queen of Castles.
Perhaps the Castle's most famous owner was King Henry VIII, who transformed the castle for his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. The stunning painting of the Field of the Cloth of Gold, which shows the meeting between King Henry VIII and the French King Francis I in 1520, hangs at Leeds Castle.
The castle avoided destruction during the English Civil War as the Culpeper family sided with the Parliamentarians. Later the castle was used to house French and Dutch prisoners of war.
The last owner of Leeds Castle was the indomitable Lady Baillie who bought the castle in 1926. She dedicated most of her life to the improvement of the castle and started the Leeds Castle Foundation. The castle was opened to the public in 1976.
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