Leeds Castle Kent
Leeds Castle in Kent is one of the most beautiful castles in England and one of the most visited, a medieval fortress built on two islands in a lake in the Kent Weald that presents one of the most romantically picturesque castle silhouettes in the country. Despite sharing its name with the Yorkshire city, the castle takes its name from the village of Leeds nearby and has no connection with the north of England. Its exceptional setting, long royal history and the variety of its visitor attractions make it one of the most popular day trip destinations in the southeast.
The castle was built on its island site in the ninth century and developed into an important royal residence from the reign of Edward I onward, subsequently passing through several royal owners including the six medieval queens who held it between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries. The list of royal associations is remarkable: Edward I and his queen Eleanor of Castile, Edward II and his wife Isabella, Edward III and his queen Philippa of Hainault, Richard II and his queen Anne of Bohemia, Henry V and his queen Catherine of Valois, and Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon all held or used the castle. This exceptional concentration of medieval royal occupation gave Leeds the title the Ladies' Castle.
The castle was transformed from a derelict historic building into its current state by Lady Olive Baillie, who purchased it in 1926 and spent fifty years and an enormous fortune restoring and furnishing it to the highest standard, creating the castle as visitors experience it today. Lady Baillie used Leeds as a house for entertaining on a lavish scale, and the quality of the interiors she created reflects resources and taste of a level rarely applied to castle restoration.
The grounds include an aviary, a vineyard, a maze and extensive parkland providing a full day's visitor experience.