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Thornbury Castle
Visited September 2009
Location | Thornbury, South Gloucestershire |
Entrance Fee | No, but open to Hotel & Restaurant guests only- occasional tours of the grounds |
Railway Station | No |
Parking | Yes |
Facilities | Restaurant |
Map | ![]() |
Review
Thornbury is a small town approximately 5 miles north of Bristol. Most people have probably never heard of it, but it was here in 1508 that the 3rd Duke of Buckingham began to build a large an extravagant castle. The Duke was initially in favour with Henry VIII but due to his wealth & power the King began to doubt his loyalty and had him beheaded for treason. King Henry and Anne Boleyn actually stayed at the castle in 1533 but from about 1550 onward it was uninhabited and fell into disrepair.
It was returned to use as a family home in the 1850s and now belongs to an expensive hotel chain. The hotel restaurant is open to non-residents (if you can afford it!) but we managed to get a tour of the grounds during a heritage open day- the hotel hosts a few of these throughout the year. Despite it being a guided tour, our 4 year old coped well and enjoyed the buildings and grounds. It is well worth doing a tour if you can, it is a fine example of Tudor architecture with some beautiful and rare windows of that era.
More info: Thornbury Castle