Leeds Castle Review: The Loveliest Castle In The World

Leeds Castle is billed as the loveliest castle in the world. Having seen many impressive castles in England in my time including Framlingham Castle in Suffolk where I grew up, I just had to see it for myself.

When we took a UK staycation in Kent, we decided to pay it a visit. This Leeds Castle review aims to give you an idea of what to expect when you visit – especially if you are visiting Leeds Castle with kids. It is high on our list of ideas for day trips from London with kids.

AD | We received complimentary tickets in order to review Leeds Castle. All opinions are our own (and those of our kids). This post also contains affiliate links. If you book something, we may earn a small commission but this is at no extra cost to you.

Leeds Castle History

I have always been interested in castles and their history. They have survived many hundreds of years and have seen a thing or two in their time.

Although this castle hasn’t seen as much military action as some of its neighbouring castles, it still has a rich and interesting history and is one of the best places to visit in Kent.

After the Norman invasion of England in 1066, the French brought with them their French castle building expertise. The Manor of Esledes was built in 1086 on the site of the current castle by the half brother of William the Conqueror.

The first record of a stone castle on the site dates back to 1119, although there is not much left of this original building.

The oldest surviving part of the castle is the Norman Cellar. This is currently where you enter the castle.

Through the centuries the castle has been owned as a private property by several Kings and Queens of England. The most famous owner was King Henry VIII who used the castle with his first wife, Catherine of Aragon.

The castle has  been modified greatly by its owners but much of what you can see today is thanks to significant refurbishments made by King Henry VIII as well as the Jacobean Manor House built by Sir Richard Smythe in the 17th century.

Today, Leeds Castle is one of the most visited historic buildings in the UK.

Where is Leeds Castle?

You might wonder why it is necessary to explain where the castle is but a conversation I had with a friend prompted me to realise that some people might think Leeds Castle is in Leeds.

The castle is in Leeds in Kent, not in the more well-known Leeds in West Yorkshire. Who knew there were two Leeds in the UK?

How to get to Leeds Castle

Address: Leeds Castle, Broomfield Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME17 1PL

By car

It is about 25 miles from London to Leeds Castle. Leeds Castle lies just off Junction 8 of the M20 near Maidstone. The brown signs are easy to follow and the entrance is clearly marked.

There is a very large car park in the grounds. Just be aware that if you arrive later in the day, you may have a bit of a walk before you even reach the main entrance.

By train

If you are coming to Leeds Castle from London by train, take the Southeastern train from London Victoria to Bearsted station. The journey should take about one hour.

You will be able to hop on a shuttle bus at the station which runs from April to September and takes about 5 minutes. Note that Hollingbourne station is much closer, but there is no shuttle bus available.

Leeds Castle is a great option if you are looking for a day trip from London by train.

If you are looking to take a tour, here are a few options, here is a highly recommended tour from London including Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral, Dover and Greenwich.

Leeds Castle opening times

The castle is open every day except for Christmas Day. Government guidelines may have affected opening times so please check on their website before your visit in case there are changes to the standard opening times.

April to September

Grounds and Gardens: 10am – 6pm
Castle: 10.30am – 4.30pm

October to March

Grounds and Gardens: 10am – 5pm
Castle: 10.30am – 3.30pm

Leeds Castle tickets

Leeds castle prices for adults are £28.00, children (4-15) are £19.50 (Under 4 are FREE). There are also family tickets available for £90.00.

You need to book your tickets in advance and book a time slot.

They have an amazing offer on at the moment whereby you pay the Leeds Castle entry fee for the day and can return as many times as you like for the next 12 months using the same ticket.

Leeds Castle Review

And now for some information on what to expect from a day out visiting Leeds Castle..

You can visit the castle and grounds in half a day but you might find that you are rushing if you want to see everything. There is so much to do that you can spend a whole day at Leeds Castle.

Leeds Castle tour

Although there is plenty to keep you occupied outside of the castle, visiting the state rooms inside the castle is a must. Just in case you thought this might not be interesting for small kids, we can confirm it is a lot of fun for them with the special challenges (see below).

It is also educational and great if the kids are just learning about English kings and queens.

There are a few tour options available for your visit.

1. Private guided tour – visit the castle outside of the normal opening hours on a private guided tour which lasts about one hour. This is subject to availability and must be booked in advance.
2. Self-guided tour – take a wander around the castle at your leisure. There are information points along the way. This is included in the price of your ticket but a time slot must be booked.
3. Audio tour – £3.25 or £3.00 if you pre-book. Audio guides are available in English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Italian and Russian.

The tour is self-guided. To make it more interesting for the kids, there is a Hidden Henry game. In each of the rooms you need to spot the tiny figures of King Henry VIII.

If you look very closely next to the painting of King Henry VIII below, you will see one of them. There are 25 to find. We won’t spoil it by giving away any more locations. Some of them are quite tricky to find.

Leeds Castle Gardens

The grounds and gardens at Leeds Castle are huge and very impressive. You will find lots to do in the 500 acres.

There are several distinct areas in the gardens, including the Princess Alexandra Garden which you will walk through on your first approach to the castle, a Mediterranean garden and a former kitchen garden.

Leeds Castle maze

The castle maze is a fun thing to do and quite a challenge. There is an underground grotto at the center with mythical beasts which then leads you out of the maze.

We visited at Halloween so they had hidden some creepy characters around the maze.

If you are looking for more things to do at Half Term, see our post on Halloween events in Kent for more days out.

Archery

This is something that our kids really wanted to try. It is located just next to the maze and the play area so we were walking past it anyway. We didn’t have to queue long for it. Anyone aged 3+ can have a go and it costs £4.00 per person.

Children’s play areas

The playground at Leeds Castle is perhaps one of the most impressive playgrounds we have seen. The kids are begging us to take them back JUST for the playground!

Knights’ Stronghold – this is a huge wooden fortress modelled on Leeds Castle for kids aged 6 – 14 with ziplines. Our boys loved this and it was VERY hard to tear them away from it.

Squires’ Courtyard – designed for kids aged 6 and under. It is a smaller wooden play fortress with zip lines and sand pits.

Falconry

Leeds Castle falconry centre is located next to the maze and is home to Hawks, Vultures, Falcons and Owls among other bird varieties and has regular falconry displays.

Go Ape Leeds Castle

Although Go Ape is not run by the castle, it is located in the grounds. If you have time left in your day and really want to give it a go, it’s for children 1m and over.

Castle transport

There is quite a lot of walking involved to get around the castle grounds. If you feel like taking a break, you can hop on Elsie the Castle Train, take a punt around the moat or catch the Black Swan Ferry Boat across the Great Water.

You can also hire Segway from £23 per person for 25 minutes.

Leeds Castle events

There is so much more to see than just the castle and grounds. Between the castle, the grounds and gardens and seasonal events, you can easily spend a whole day visiting. You can check on their website before booking your tickets to see if there is something special happening.

They usually put extra events on in the school holidays. Here are some of the most popular events at Leeds Castle held throughout the year.

Leeds Castle at Christmas

Christmas is a particularly lovely place to visit at Christmas.  There is usually a fabulous Christmas market as well as other festive events for the whole family. It’s also a great place to see Santa.

See here for more ideas on festive days out in Kent.

Halloween

There are some lovely Halloween events at the castle, especially over the October half term. keep an eye on their site closer to the time to see what they have on. You can also stay at Leeds Castle if you are looking for Halloween breaks in the UK.

Leeds Castle Half Term fun

During February half term (12th to 20th February), you can become a wildlife explorer and follow an activity trail where you will learn all about the wildlife at Leeds Castle.

It’s best to get wrapped up warm for this one as you find your way from the Princess Alexandra Gardens to the Culpeper Garden and finish by the Maze and the Knight’s Playground.

Leeds Castle concert

Held in July, watch an open air concert performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Jousting

During the summer there are usually jousting tournaments. More details will appear on their website nearer the time.

Fireworks

There is usually a firework spectacular at New Year.

Facilities at Leeds Castle

There are plenty of dining options available at the castle from a sit-down restaurant to cafés and food kiosks. You can even treat yourself to Afternoon Tea at the castle which is served in one of the beautiful state rooms.

There are also three main sets of toilets that are evenly spaced through the grounds and another smaller facility just after you cross over the drawbridge into the castle.

During Covid times there are hand sanitiser stations all over the grounds.

Leeds Castle accommodation

Always fancied staying at a castle? If so, you’ll be pleased to know you can stay at Leeds Castle.

As well as the holiday cottages in the grounds, there are bed & breakfast options and you can also try out the glamping tents in the summer months. See here for more details on Leeds Castle glamping.

Holiday Cottages

Weir Cottage – 1 bedroom cottage

The Oast – 2 bedroom cottage

Keeper’s House – 5 bedroom holiday home

Battel Hall – 5 bedroom holiday home

Guard’s House – 3 bedroom cottage

Knight’s Cottage – 3 bedroom cottage

Bed & Breakfast

Stable Courtyard – various rooms sleeping from 1 – 4 people

Other Kent Castles to visit

There are 30 castles in Kent and most of them are in a fabulous state of repair. Some of the ones that we recommend if you are looking for more castles to visit are:

• Hever Castle
• Bodium Castle
• Dover Castle

So – is Leeds Castle the loveliest castle in the world? I can’t decide but we really enjoyed our day there and will go back for another visit to try some of the things we missed.

We hope you found this Leeds Castle review helpful. Do get in touch with any questions!