| Actual Image
The Keep (58)
snunney
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2541 W: 51 N: 5555]](http://i1.trekearth.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (22971) | One in a series of photographs take on a warm and pleasant autumn afternoon in the ground of Leeds Castle, regarded by many as one of the most beautiful in Britain.
Today, a view of the keep reflected in the moat that surrounds the island on which the castle keep stands.
Leeds Castle, set on two islands on the River Len in the heart of Kent, has been home to royalty, lords and ladies for over 1000 years.
The castle you see today is the result of over 900 years of alterations and changes. It has Norman foundations; a mediaeval gatehouse; the Gloriette, built by Edward I and updated in Henry VIII’s times; a Tudor tower; and a 19th century country house - all of which were substantially refurbished in the 20th century.
The last private owner of the castle, Olive, Lady Baillie, left an indelible mark on the place. The heiress to an American fortune from her mother’s family and the daughter of an English Lord, she married three times. It was with her second husband, Arthur Wilson Filmer that she bought the castle in 1926, and embarked on a complete refurbishment, using the finest French architects and designers to create an elegant country residence.
She filled the castle with art and antiques, collected on her frequent buying trips around Europe, and with glamorous house parties at which she entertained princes, film stars and politicians. Her guests enjoyed the use of the castle’s cinema, swimming pool, squash and tennis courts, and marveled at the extraordinary creatures in the grounds; Lady Baillie’s fascinating collection of birds and waterfowl, zebras and llamas as well as the more usual horses and dogs.
You are invited to visit the castle's official web site (from which the above was taken) to learn more:
http://www.leeds-castle.com |
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