If you’d never been to Leeds Castle, you’d probably expect it to be somewhere in or around the City of Leeds. But it isn’t: Leeds Castle is actually in Maidstone, 225 miles away from the city whose name it shares. And that’s because there’s actually another Leeds! A small village in rural Kent with less than 1000 inhabitants, it is Leeds Village rather than Leeds City which gives the castle its name.
Leeds may be a small place, but the Castle hosts over half a million visitors every year, making it one of the UK’s most popular heritage sites. Built on islands in a lake formed by the River Len, the Castle dates mostly from the 19th century when the original structure was remodelled in the Tudor style. It is now often referred to as ‘The Loveliest Castle in the World’.
This design shows the majestic battlements of Leeds Castle on a summer’s day, surrounded by its enchanting fairy-tale moat. Know someone who’s interested in English Heritage? Then this is the gift for them!
