Twenty plus members enjoyed a great day out at Grimsthorpe Castle. The weather was kind, so we were able to enjoy a picnic and good company before the main event – the castle tour.  Julie, our guide was excellent.  Not a recitation of dull dates but we got a real understanding of the previous inhabitants of the castle and the historical context. This has been the home of the de Eresby family since 1514.

Firstly, it’s a castle because the original building – a two bedroomed fortified-residence qualified as a castle in the 12^th century.  Subsequently enlarged in Tudor times, and further greatly enlarged in the 18^th century, it became a rather magnificent stately home – good enough in fact to feature in the TV series Bridgerton.

We admired portraits of James l, who was a short man, and his wife Anne of Denmark.  Anne was over 6ft tall so was always seated in the presence of her diminutive husband.

The park was designed by Capability Brown and incorporates two long avenue vistas from the house and a large lake. The gardens were interesting in that alongside the herbaceous borders, rose garden and ornamental kitchen garden, other areas had been left as attractive wild meadows.  Whilst Grimsthorpe and the estate are owned and managed by a trust, the present occupant is Jane, the 28^th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby.  She is the granddaughter of Nancy Astor (think Cliveden). A baronetcy is the one hereditary title which can be passed on to a female – I bet you didn’t know that!

Find out more about Grimsthorpe Castle.