On Saturday
23 June, 36 members of the South East Branch attended the branch summer outing
at Leeds Castle, near Maidstone in Kent. We were lucky in having a bright warm
sunny day for the occasion, which began with a guided tour around the Castle
before lunch.
Leeds Castle
was originally the site of a manor of the Saxon Royal Family, and having then
become a Norman stronghold the Castle became a Royal Palace and for 300 years a
home of the kings and queens of England. Probably the most famous of all the
royal owners was Henry VIII, who enhanced the Castle’s splendour considerably
and was a regular user of the Castle for banqueting, entertaining and hunting
in the surrounding estate. The tour of the Castle itself takes one through some
of the principal rooms where there are display boards giving a great deal of
the history, as well as well-informed guides.
Lady Baillie
bought Leeds Castle in 1926 and devoted almost half a century to restoring its
fabric and furnishings. The Yellow Drawing Room and Thorpe Hall Drawing Room
give visitors an impression of how the Castle looked when Lady Baillie was a
permanent resident. Her much loved home
was left to the nation in perpetuity in 1974.
Today the Castle and 500 acres of beautiful parkland are run by the
Leeds Castle Foundation
.
After an
excellent lunch in a modern but traditionally built barn-type restaurant area,
we were free to walk in the grounds and take in some of the other
attractions. The Castle is surrounded
by the famous lake, and there is an aviary with a collection of rare and exotic
birds, the famous maze with grotto, and also a remarkable collection of
well-preserved Victorian greenhouses, in which many rare plants and fruit grow.
Derek Ross
had certainly organised an excellent event for the summer outing, and members
who attended enjoyed a relaxing and memorable occasion. Leeds Castle is a most
beautiful setting, and there are wide-ranging function and other facilities
available, allowing visitors and other users to take advantage of the Castle,
which justifiably earns its reputation as the loveliest Castle in the world.
Charles
Stimpson