Sudeley Castle Castles

Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Cotswold Hills, Sudeley Castle is steeped in history. With royal connections spanning a thousand years, it has played an important role in the turbulent and changing times of England's past.

The Castle was once home to Queen Katherine Parr, following her marriage to Sir Thomas Seymour, and Lady Jane Grey. Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I all visited Sudeley.

Sudeley's collections range from historic possessions of past ancestral owners, old master paintings, fine furniture to Victorian memorabilia.

Designed almost as a continuation of the Castle, the inspiration for the gardens draws on and reflects Sudeley's rich history. Eminent landscape designers including Lanning Roper, Rosemary Verey, Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall and, more recently, Charles Chesshire have all been involved in the design and layout of the gardens.

In late summer 2004 Sudeley Castle opened the new Pheasantry and Wildfowl Area. Some thirty years ago the Castle had been well-known for its unique collection of colourful pheasants but the collection gradually died out and was not replaced. This newly landscaped area based around the Old Cedar Tree and pond is home to 15 species of rare and endangered pheasants.

Today, Sudeley is the home of Lord and Lady Ashcombe and the families of her two children, Henry and Mollie Dent-Brocklehurst. They are dedicated to its continued restoration and the regeneration of the gardens, with particular emphasis on conservation and sustainability.