Thornbury Castle
Thornbury Castle at Thornbury in Gloucestershire is an early sixteenth-century castle begun by Edward Stafford, third Duke of Buckingham, in 1511 and left unfinished following his execution for treason in 1521, making it the last castle to be built in England as a private residence before the Civil War period. The castle is notable for its remarkably complete domestic planning, including multiple towers, a gallery, chapel and elaborate formal gardens that give a clear impression of the scale and sophistication of the intended finished castle. Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn stayed at Thornbury for ten days in 1535. The castle is now operated as a luxury country house hotel, allowing guests to stay within the historic fabric and experience the combination of Tudor architectural ambition and modern hospitality. The South Gloucestershire location provides easy access to the Severn estuary and the Forest of Dean.