- Type
- Ruin
- Origins
- 1122 · 12th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- England, United Kingdom
- Visiting
- probably – Wikidata lists it as a museum or gives tickets, opening hours or visitor numbers; check before you go
- Coordinates
- 52.3470°, -1.5911°
History
The castle was founded in the 1120s by Geoffrey de Clinton, a courtier of Henry I. King John surrounded it with a great artificial lake, which in 1266 allowed Simon de Montfort's supporters to hold out against Henry III's forces for some six months – the longest siege in medieval English history. In the late 14th century John of Gaunt built a magnificent great hall here. In 1563 Elizabeth I granted the castle to Robert Dudley, who entertained the queen here for 19 days in 1575. After the Civil War, in the 1650s, the castle was partly demolished and the lake drained.
What to see
What remains are massive red sandstone walls, the Norman keep, and the ruins of John of Gaunt's great hall and Dudley's apartments. Leicester's Gatehouse survives intact and houses an exhibition on Dudley's romance with the queen. A recreated Elizabethan garden with a fountain and aviary recalls the preparations for the 1575 visit. The castle is cared for by English Heritage.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q1738764
Popularity: articles about this site in 22 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).