GRIMSTHORPE CASTLE
HX Suggested Reasons to Visit
Stand before George IV’s regal throne, lose yourself in serene lakeside strolls, and wander beneath a towering canopy of ancient oaks.
About
Grimsthorpe Castle has stood as a fortress, royal residence, and stately home for over 800 years, shaped by power, rebellion, and artistic vision.
First recorded in the early 13th century, the castle belonged to Francis Lovell, 1st Viscount Lovell, until his defiance against Henry VII in 1485 led to his lands being seized. In 1516, William Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby, took ownership, and Grimsthorpe has remained in his family ever since. His daughter, Katherine, inherited the estate at just seven years old, later bringing Grimsthorpe into the heart of the Tudor court through her marriage to Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk. Their close ties with Henry VIII led to major renovations, and the king himself visited Grimsthorpe in 1541 on his way to York.
A century later, Grimsthorpe was reshaped once again. In 1707, Montagu Bertie, 15th Baron Willoughby de Eresby, transformed the north front in a classical style, before his son Robert commissioned Sir John Vanbrugh to design a Baroque façade in celebration of his new title as Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven in 1715. This was Vanbrugh’s final country house, featuring the Great Hall, later hailed by Nikolaus Pevsner as "unquestionably Vanbrugh’s finest room," with ceilings adorned by Francesco Sleter and Sir James Thornhill.
The estate’s landscape was shaped by none other than Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, who was commissioned twice—first in the 1740s, and again in the 1770s, expanding the park and creating the deer park that remains a defining feature today.
Grimsthorpe has also played its part in modern military history—during the First World War, it served the Royal Air Force, while in World War II, the Parachute Regiment trained here for Operation Market Garden.
The estate’s remarkable art collection has been enriched by Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, who, during her custodianship, added works by Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon, further cementing Grimsthorpe’s place as a site of artistic and historical significance. The castle’s future now rests with Sebastian Miller and his wife Emma, who have made their home at Grimsthorpe, ensuring its legacy endures for generations to come.
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Park and Gardens
The Park and Gardens are open on select days from April to September, 10am – 5pm (last entry 4.30pm). Grimsthorpe Park spans 3,000 acres and stretches five miles at its widest point. Formerly enclosed deer parks …
Castle, Park and Gardens
Open from 1st May to 30th September, 5 days a week, Sunday to Thursday (closed Friday and Saturday). The Castle is open from 11am – 4pm (last entry 3.15pm). Vanbrugh Hall, the Chinese Drawing Room, and …
Read more about Grimsthorpe Castle
A historic family home since the 16th century, Grimsthorpe Castle features a unique blend of medieval, …
Dating back to the early 13th century and profoundly reshaped in the Baroque style by Sir …
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