What's on in Gloucestershire

Sudeley Castle

Mar - Oct 2009 (annual)

Cost: £7.20; concessions £6.20, 5-15 years £4.20

Hours: Mar-Oct: 10.30am-5pm

Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Cotswold Hills, Sudeley Castle is steeped in a rich royal history and surrounded by 14 acres of stunning gardens.

The castle was once home to Queen Katherine Parr and Lady Jane Grey. Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I all visited, and it was the headquarters of Prince Rupert during the Civil War. However, following its destruction by Cromwell's troops, the building lay neglected and derelict for 200 years.

In 1837, the castle was bought by John and William Dent, of the Worcestershire glove-making company of that name, who began an ambitious restoration programme. Today, it is the home of Lord and Lady Ashcombe and the Dent-Brocklehurst family.

Sudeley's treasures range from historic possessions of past owners, Tudor relics, old master paintings and fine furniture to Victorian memorabilia. Paintings by Van Dyck, Rubens, Turner, Reynolds, Claude and Jan Steen are among the masterpieces on display from the collection built up by James Morrison (1790-1857), an ancestor of the current owners. Visitors can also enjoy Six Wives at Sudeley Castle - a new exhibition of Tudor costume associated with the David Starkey television series The Six Wives of Henry VIII.

Other attractions include St Mary's Church, situated within the castle grounds, which was restored in the 19th century and contains the marble tomb of Queen Katherine Parr.

Surrounding the castle are the magnificent gardens, which have had the benefit of the expertise of landscape designers such as Lanning Roper, Rosemary Verey, Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall and, more recently, Charles Cheshire. Topiary features strongly throughout and the famous Queens Garden is full of old-fashioned roses and herbs. All 14 acres are managed using organic principles.

Sudeley Castle

• Health & Leisure
• Bodysensual
• Leisurebreaks