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Leeds Castle

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+74
Do not wait to book your activities
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5 reviews of Leeds Castle

You must visit this stunning castle!

Excellent

Leeds Castle is located 5 km southeast of Maidstone, Kent and dates back to 1119. But the history of the site is even longer: a manor house was erected in the same place in the ninth century. It is located near the village of Leeds, not to be confused with the city of Leeds located west of Yorkshire, at the other end of the country. It was built in 1119 by Robert de Crevcoeur and later became the Royal Palace of King Edward I of England and his queen Eleanor of Castile in 1278. Kings lived here for a long time: Edward II and Edward III resided here, and later the famous Henry VIII transformed it for his first wife, Catherine of Aragon.

The painting commemorating his meeting with Francis I of France is still hanging on its ancient walls. His daughter Elizabeth I was imprisoned here before his coronation. Traditionally, this castle became the home of the Queens of England when they became widows. Among its residents were Eleanor of Castile, Margaret of France, Isabella of France, Anne of Bohemia and Catherine of Valois. The castle was saved from destruction during the English Civil War because the owners at that time, the Culpeper family, supported the parliamentary party who were ultimately victorious. The last owner of the palace was Lady Baillie, daughter of the first Baron of Queensborogh, who acquired it in 1926 and reformed it tastefully into a modern house with work performed by a French decorator. Lady Baillie founded the Leeds Castle Foundation and opened this spectacular building and its grounds to the public in 1976. In 1979 it served as the meeting place between Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Moshe Dayan at a preparatory meeting for the Camp David Accords. On a lighter note, in 1999, Sir Elton John gave two wonderful concerts in this building, and today weddings, international conferences and other large events take place here on a regular basis. The palace is built on two islands on the River Len, and surrounded by waters that serve as a "natural moat." It is also surrounded by a large park with ponds full of swans. Walking along the paths, you can see peacocks strolling around the grounds. There are also more than thirty huge cages with different types of rare birds, scattered throughout the gardens, as well as a huge maze and a golf course with 9 holes. If you go to Kent you must visit this stunning castle!
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+9

Personal I love exploring castle

Excellent

The history and stories behind them are fascinating and is good for people ve love history and listening to stories which have happened in the past.

+10
See original

See original

Excellent
+2
See original
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Information about Leeds Castle