The more I see of old buildings the more I am reminded that the modern renovation craze is not new, only different due to its accessibility to more people. On my last full day in London we visited Leeds Castle in Kent, one of the ones built after the Norman Conquest of Britain to shore up Norman defences and maintain a presence among the locals. It sits on islands in a lake enhancing its defensive capacity and it’s artistic appeal. In it’s 1000 years of history it has hosted assorted nobles, several hundred years of royalty, an heiress known as Lady Baillie and now belongs to a charitable trust courtesy of said heiress.
Beautiful landscape
Think its a goose
Lake and more birds. Black swans from Australia were introduced by the last independent owner. One was nesting in another part of the lake.
One of the first views of the castle
Main part of castle and the part we visited
A number of buildings comprised the castle complex and this was one. It was not open to the public but when leaving we saw a couple arrive with luggage and enter so perhaps it is available for accommodation.
Rather benign looking lion on an iron studded door
Enormous room with an ornate ceiling and numerous portraits of previous inhabitants
The chapel, a late 20th century addition although one had always been present previously until closed by Henry V111 in 1544. The wooden wall panels and the tapestry date from C1500.
Stained glass made about 1220 and originally from Canterbury Cathedral
Lovely little courtyard reminiscent of ones seen on southern Spain. The Spanish princess, Catherine of Aragon, initially the wife and Queen of Henry V11 and then his brother Henry V111 lived in the castle.
This is part of a room styled to represent a royal apartment from 1422. I liked the shutters and window seats and could imagine a woman sitting and gazing out onto a world she was not free to visit independently.
The bay window was installed during renovations in 1512 and the room is the largest in the castle
Not sure what this is apart from it looking to have Tudor architecture and found in one of the courtyards. Seems to have small openings just under the roof line similar to those in a dovecot.
Old door
Heating vent, a modern introduction by the last owner along with vast amounts of money spent on renovation and decoration
Lady Baillie’s bedroom as designed in 1936 and conceived in the style of early 18th century France
This room is known as the Thorpe Hall Drawing Room due to the fireplace and paneling having come from there in 1927
Dining room decorated for Lady Baillie in the late 1930s
The little train ferrying visitors from the car park to the castle and seen from a castle window
Leaving the island
Reflections on the water
Panorama of the castle in the late afternoon
Mist rising from the ground
Dog graves overlooking a lake
Tree lined path to the car park, back to London and a longggggggggg trip home
