Thornbury Castle is located in South Gloucestershire,
England. A manor house occupied the site
in 930 AD. The castle was built in the
early 16th century for Edward Stafford, the third Duke of Buckingham. Thornbury Castle wasn’t designed to serve as
a fortress, but as a Tudor country house, and so it had minimal defenses. The duke was later beheaded for treason by
his cousin, King Henry VIII. Thornbury
Castle was then confiscated by the king, who enjoyed a ten-day stay at the
castle with his then queen, Anne Boleyn.
The castle fell into disrepair after the English Civil War. The Howard family purchased the castle and
renovated it by 1824. The castle has
framed courts, a central gatehouse, and octagonal towers. The castle is currently a luxury hotel. If you have stayed or visited there, I’d love
to hear your thoughts.
