BELVOIR CASTLE
HX Suggested Reasons to Visit
Ascend to Belvoir's cloud-capped towers and airy terraces, where centuries of history unfold. Take in the regal Elizabeth Saloon, wander through the poetic Capability Brown landscapes, before concluding your journey at the Engine Yard, where the estate’s industrious past meets the artistry of modern craftsmanship.
About
The current Belvoir Castle was completed in 1832 by John Manners, 5th Duke of Rutland and his wife Lady Elizabeth Howard, who moved to Belvoir from Castle Howard in 1799. That castle was by no means the first on the site. There has been a castle on the site at Belvoir since the Norman Conquest, when William the Conqueror’s standard bearer Robert de Todeni was given the land by the king.
By 1464, the first castle, in a motte and bailey design, was more or less in ruins, wrecked by the Wars of the Roses, and 60 years later it was reconstructed in a medieval design for Sir Thomas Manners, later 1st Earl of Rutland, in whose family it has remained ever since. James VI came to this new Belvoir in 1612, and later, during the Civil War, Charles I stayed at Belvoir, before the house was razed to the ground by parliamentarians.
By 1668, a new house had been built at Belvoir by the architect John Webb for John Manners, 8th Earl of Rutland, but this only lasted just over a century before the 5th Duke and Duchess of Rutland began yet another building project, with the architect James Wyatt in charge of what was planned as a romantic Gothic building. This was almost complete when in 1816 the house caught fire, with the loss of most of the new build and many of the pictures. The castle was rebuilt again to the same designs and completed – for the final time – in 1832, with the architect Sir James Thornton at the helm.
Today, the house and its 16,000-acre estate is run by Emma Manners, Duchess of Rutland who, in 2016, embarked upon a two-year restoration programme to bring the lost plans of Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown to fruition. Belvoir remains the seat of the Duke of Rutland and home to his five children.
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Gardens & Playground
Adventure Playground (9.30am), Gardens (10am) - 5pm (Last entry 4pm). Explore 16,000 acres of breathtaking gardens at Belvoir Castle, including the Japanese Woodland and Duchess Garden. Recent restoration of Capability Brown’s 1780 plans, rediscovered in 2013, …
Castle and Gardens
Belvoir Castle Entry 10am – 5 pm (3.30pm last entry) open for the remainder of September. Belvoir Castle will be closed from 1st October - 1st March 2025. The gardens and playground will remain available throughout …
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Upcoming events at Belvoir Castle
March 29, 2025 to May 11, 2025
This exhibition is included in your general admission tickets to the castle between March 29th 2025 …
July 12, 2025 to July 13, 2025
Step into Spring at the 2025 Belvoir Castle Flower & Garden Show! Set against the stunning …
July 12, 2025 to July 13, 2025
Nestled in the breathtaking grounds of Belvoir Castle, the 2025 Flower and Garden Show is shaping …
Read more about Belvoir Castle
This Week in HeritageXplore: A Touching Tribute from Our Founder Back in January 2024, our founder, …
Completed in 1832 and with roots tracing back to the Norman Conquest, Belvoir Castle has undergone …
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