LeedsCastle

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LeedsCastle

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Leeds Castle, Kent, UK

Photo by Deb Purcell, April 1998

Shrouded in mist, mystery and legend, Leeds Castle rises from its own lake amidst one of England's most picturesque counties; the survivor of 1000 years emerging into the 21st century pre-eminent among the great buildings of the British Isles.

It has experienced battles, witnessed intrigue, entertained and solaced leaders of men, inspired countless artists and now provides a place of fascination and enjoyment to half a million visitors each year of all ages.

Originally a Saxon royal manor built in AD. 857, Leeds became the stone Castle of the Norman Crevecoeur family. From 1278 Leeds was a royal palace where Edward I built the unique fortified mill and barbican. Falling to Edward II's troops in 1321 because his Queen was refused admission, the Castle was never again besieged as it's reputation for being a ladies Castle grew ever stronger. In it's illustrious history, Leeds Castle has been the home of six medieval Queens of England and will no doubt be graced by many distinguished ladies in the centuries ahead.

Full of historical wonderment, portraits of Richard II, who held court at Leeds, hang near rooms which may have been used by Henry V's widow, Catherine de Valois, shortly before she eloped with Owen Tudor.

Their great-grandson, Henry VIII, enjoyed the Castle immensely and the many Tudor windows bear witness to his architectural improvements. It was from Leeds that Henry started for his momentous meeting at the Fields of the Cloth of Gold with Francis I of France in 1520, embarking at Dover - an event recalled by the magnificent paintings in the Banqueting Hall.

In 1552, Leeds was granted to Sir Anthony St. Leger, the Lord Deputy of Ireland. His successors, the Smyths, built a Jacobean house on the larger island selling it in 1632 to the Culpeper family. Supporting Parliament during the Civil War, the Culpepers allowed Leeds to become a Parliamentary arsenal.

At the Restoration, the Culpepers sided with the Crown which had granted over 5 million acres in Virginia to the 1st Lord Culpeper for conveying the future Charles II into exile.

From the Culpepers, Leeds passed to Lord Fairfax, the successor of Black Tom Fairfax, the great Parliamentary General, whose portrait also hangs in the Castle. The 6th Lord Fairfax gothicised the main house, entertaining King George III in 1778 while in 1821, the Wykeham Martins inherited Leeds but unfortunately bankrupted themselves rebuilding the Smyth House. Fortunately, Charles Wykeham Martin married an heiress in 1822 and retrieved the situation!

In 1926, Olive, later Lady Baillie, bought Leeds Castle from the Wykeham Martins, totally transforming it internally. Employing two international interior designers, Armand-Albert Rateau and Stéphane Boudin, Leeds Castle is probably the world's most complete memorial to these men.

Lady Baillie filled her house with fine furniture, ceramics, tapestries and paintings, all of the highest quality - her collection of 18th Century Chinese porcelain is remarkable, with many pieces recalling her fondness for exotic birds.

Lady Baillie's achievements culminated in the most radical development at Leeds Castle in its long history; by her will, the Leeds Castle Foundation was created to maintain the Castle, garden and park for the enjoyment of visitors in perpetuity.