ABOUT LEEDS CASTLE
Leeds Castle Estate, situated in the heart of rural Kent, near Maidstone, was cited in the Domesday Book & has had an eventful 900 years of history. While most Castles are military in nature, used for local governance or the permanent home of aristocrats, Leeds is quite different. Over her 900-year history, Leeds has been consistently used as a luxurious retreat, a place to stop en route to other places, to rest, feast, relax & do business in a stunning setting.
Leeds is also unusual in her strong female ownership over the centuries. Owned by six successive medieval Queens as their personal property, from Eleanor of Castile in the 13th century to Catherine de Valois in the fifteenth, Leeds also counted King Henry VIII amongst her owners, with the Castle being remodelled for the use of his first wife, Katherine of Aragon.
The Castle passed into private hands after the mid-sixteenth century, with notable subsequent female owners including Catherine Culpeper & the last private owner, Anglo-American heiress, Lady Olive Baillie.
Very little remains of the original medieval Castle, aside from the Barbican, Mill and Gatehouse that provide the entry to the Castle Island. The main castle was constructed in her current form in 1822 & Lady Baillie’s arrival in 1926 led to a major Rescue & Restoration project which stripped out & replaced the vast majority of evidence of previous architecture, creating her own fairytale castle with all mod cons.
The Castle is also notable for design, with the original siting of the Castle on two islands within the River Len, chosen for wonderful reflections & visibility from around the estate. Further significance comes from the interiors created by some of the 20th century’s most leading-edge interior designers, Stephane Boudin and Armand-Albert Rateau, whose luxurious creations survive intact today.
The Castle’s 20th century social history is also of great note, Lady Baillie used Leeds as her country house party location, welcoming royalty, leading politicians & film stars of the time to luxurious & louche weekend parties.
Comprising 1,000 acres, Leeds Castle includes a 900-year old Castle, four gardens, agricultural land, three playgrounds, an historic maze, a Bird of Prey Centre, an adventure golf course, multiple catering & retail outlets & beautiful estate walks. It also hosts eight glamping tents, six holiday cottages, a manor house & 40 B & B rooms. Also on site are a nine-hole golf course, a cricket club, Segway Tours & a Go Ape course.
The Castle also hosts a strong annual programme of events, including the Fireworks Spectacular, Leeds Castle Concert, Christmas Lights Trail, Design Month & Jousting.
The Leeds Castle Foundation’s Board is well established & four Trustees will be stepping down by March 2023. With the arrival of a new Chief Executive in 2021 & a new Chair in 2023, we are seeking to diversify both the profile & the thinking of our Board to support the Foundation’s ambitious growth plans.
Leeds Castle’s vision is ‘To be the top heritage destination for relaxation, hospitality & experiences that surprise & delight’.
The Foundation’s Values are; Nurturing, Enduring, Welcoming & Surprising.