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Stonehenge &
Thornbury Castle
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Thornbury
Castle
In
1535, King Henry VIII and his second wife,
Anne Boleyn, stayed here. Princess Mary,
later Queen Mary I, also lived here for
several years. Courtiers have flirted with
ladies-in-waiting in the ancient yew-hedged
gardens. Serving girls have chattered in the
stone-flagged courtyard. Today, Thornbury
Castle still resonates with history.
Edward Stafford, the third
Duke of Buckingham received a royal license
to build this 'fortified manor' or
castle-palace in 1510. Work started the
following year but stopped in 1521 when the
Duke was executed on trumped-up grounds of
treason. Today, much still remains of the
original 16th century building. Everywhere
there is fascinating historical detail to
enjoy - coats of arms, intricate oriel
windows, arrow loops and ornate carved
ceilings.
The Duke's watchword was 'dorene
savant' meaning 'henceforth' or 'from now
on'. In his words, then, Thornbury Castle is
yours to enjoy 'from now on' - the wealth of
the past combined with the luxury and
comfort of one of England's finest hotels. |
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