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Places to Visit in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire
Sudeley Castle
Winchcombe
Gloucestershire
GL54 5JD
Tel: +44(0)1242 602308
Fax: +44(0)1242 602959
Email: click here
Website: click here
The Cotswolds is the largest Area of Outstanding Beauty in Britain and represents traditional England at its best. The beautiful countryside is complemented by the villages of honey-coloured stone, which retain their unique style and character.
Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Cotswold hills Sudeley Castle has royal connections spanning a thousand years and has played an important role in the turbulent and changing times of England’s past.
Sudeley was once the magnificent palace of Queen Katherine Parr, Henry VIII’s last and surviving wife who is buried in the Castle church. Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey and Elizabeth I stayed at Sudeley. Charles I resided here while his nephew, Prince Rupert, established Sudeley as his garrison headquarters during the English Civil War.
After its desecration by Cromwell’s troops the Castle lay sadly neglected, much of it in ruins. Sudeley’s fortunes were however to change some 200 years later when it was acquired by the Dent brothers, famous glove makers from Worcester. They set upon an ambitious restoration programme, which was continued by their nephew, John Coucher Dent and his wife Emma Brocklehurst, after their death. Today Sudeley is home to the Dent-Brocklehurst family.
In the Castle, an exhibition of Tudor costume – ‘Six Wives at Sudeley’- recreates the elaborate, jewel-encrusted royal robes of King Henry VIII and his Queens.
Surrounding the Castle are ten magnificent gardens, each with their own special beauty and charm. Centrepiece is the Queen’s Garden, famous for its stunning collection of old fashioned roses, interspersed with fragrant herbs and surrounded by yew hedges and fine examples of topiary. A Knot Garden was opened in 1995 to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592, the design of which was inspired by the fabric of the Queen’s dress depicted in a painting that hangs in the Castle.
Sudeley is located a quarter of a mile from the Saxon town of Winchcombe, once the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Mercia. The town has retained many features of its long history yet is still largely uncommercialised and unspoilt – features which appeal to the discerning visitor and resident alike.
Facilities
• Historic House
• Gardens
• Restaurant
• Tea Room
• Picnic Area
• Children
• Car Park
• Private Group Tours
• School Tours Available
• Gift Shop
• Plant Sales.
Weddings and Conferences
WEDDINGS IN WINCHCOMBE, GLOUCETSERSHIRE
With some of the most beautiful gardens in the country, set amid the old Medieval ruins, Sudeley Castle provides an atmospheric and romantic venue for you wedding reception.
Sudeley Castle is licensed for Civil Ceremonies, which may be booked between November and March throughout the day, when the Castle is closed to the public.
You will have the option of our "baronial" style Banqueting Hall for evening receptions seating up to 100 guests or we can arrange a lavish marquee on one of our lawns, with the illuminated backdrop of the Castle, for larger functions.
Our dedicated Wedding Organiser will take you through every step, advising on menu suggestions, marquee design, flowers, decorations and entertainment, and ensuring that on the day, everything runs smoothly. Caring and professional, the emphasis as one might expect is on quality and exclusivity.
CONFERENCES
Sudeley Castle provides a unique location for a range of conference and meeting requirements, with individual rooms catering for groups from 10 to 120 people.
Personal attention is guaranteed. Your event will be professionally managed from the initial enquiry through to the final day by our dedicated conference and events team, allowing you to concentrate on your own business objectives.
Additional Services
SUDELEY CASTLE ALSO HAS ITS OWN SELF CATERING COTTAGES
Sudeley Castle Country Cottages are located on the edge of the estate, midway between the Castle and the historic town of Winchcombe. This small attractive complex of Cotswold stone cottages is se
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