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Leeds Castle is located in Kent county of England. The castle is presently maintained by the Leeds Castle Foundation. Leeds Castle is placed in the upper end of the tourist segment. A museum displaying a wide range of antique dog collars is one of the unique attractions of the castle. It also has its own golf course.
History of Leeds Castle
Leeds Castle came into existence when Robert De Crevecoeur built the structure in 1119. The building became the residence of King Edward 1 of England in 1278. King Edward expanded and improved the structure to make it suitable as a royal palace. He added the Barbican. The improvements included the construction of a portcullis, drawbridge and a dedicated gateway.
King Edward II conquered the castle in 1321. The invasion was driven by personal causes - the queen was restricted from entry inside the castle premises. Other interesting snippets of the castle's history include the meeting of King Richard II with the medieval French chronicler Jean Froissart. King Henry VII made alterations to Leeds Castle to accommodate Catherine of Aragon - his first wife. Queen Elizabeth suffered forced confinement in Leeds Castle before her coronation.
Leeds Castle escaped destruction during the English Civil War between 1642 and 1751. This was due to the pragmatism displayed by the Culpeper family. The Culpeper family, owners of the Leeds Castle at that time, was fierce supporter of the Parliament during the time of Oliver Cromwell.
Modern Times
The last individual private owner of the Leeds Castle was the Honorable Lady Olive Baillie. Lady Baillie refurbished the castle interior with the assistance of the noted French designer and architect Armand-Albert Rateau. Luxury fittings like the oak staircase were added during the refurbishment. The Leeds Castle Foundation was also established during this period.
Leeds Castle is a favored meeting venue for many world leaders. Notable visiting statesmen include the former Israeli foreign minister Moshe Dayan and the former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. The castle is presently a high end tourist hospitality spot and boasts of an intricate maze that the guests love to explore.
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