Leeds Castle has been home to six English queens, and today is a major tourist attraction deep in the Kent countryside (the Leeds bit comes from the name of the area of Esledes recorded in the Domesday book).

It started life as a castle built by a Norman knight, Robert de Crevecoueur, who had accompanied William the Conqueror in 1066, and passed into royal ownership at the time of Edward I, where it remained until the time of Edward VI.  Its final owner, Lady Olive Bailie, left her mark by introducing black swans, and combining traditional decoration with a 1930s style.  It’s thanks to the foundation that she set up that so many of us were able to explore the site on an October afternoon.

Inside the castle, the decor ranges from mock medieval to 1930s styles.  Here, the Queen’s bedroom reflects how a bedroom could have looked, with the cipher of Henry V and Catherine de Valois lining the walls.

Back outside, and there’s more to explore (whether by train or not!).