Thornbury Castle, on the edge of the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, is the only Tudor castle in England to open as a hotel. Kings and queens have stayed here and now you can too.
Bristol is 18 km and London Heathrow approx. 1 hour 30 minutes away
History
Edward Stafford, the 3rd Duke of Buckingham received a royal licence to build this ‘fortified manor’ or castle-palace in 1510. Work started the following year but stopped when the Duke was executed on the orders of his distant cousin Henry VIII for alleged treason in 1521. 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.
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. Thornbury has also always had a vineyard within the castle walls and Thornbury Castle wine is still produced today.
Location
Thornbury Castle is ideally situated for exploring the West Country. To the south lies the beautiful Georgian city of Bath with its Roman baths and abbey, the historic attractions of Wells Cathedral, Glastonbury Tor and the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey, where King Arthur and Queen Guinevere are said to be buried, and Stonehenge. To the west lie the ruins of medieval Tintern Abbey set in the lovely wooded Wye Valley, famous Welsh border castles such as Berkeley, Raglan and Chepstow, and the fantastic Welsh city of Cardiff. And finally, to the north east, lie the Cotswolds, beautiful touring countrywide with quaint villages, traditional market towns and, of course, Cheltenham, where many a fortune has been lost and made at the town’s racecourse, home to the famous Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Ambience
Step behind the heavy oak doors and you'll find a magnificent hotel with roaring fires, delicious modern cuisine and sumptuous bedchambers – a truly special setting for an overnight stay, a weekend away or for a more formal occasion. Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn once walked these rooms and grounds. Today, the 500 year-old castle with its beautiful oriel windows, Tudor hall and historic parkland is yours for the duration of your stay.
Food and drink
Modern internationally-inspired dishes are combined with traditional favourites, created using only the finest and freshest ingredients, sourced from the castle’s own gardens, local markets and nearby suppliers.
Fine Dining at the Castle
Thornbury Castle offers plenty of choice when you dine here, although some traditional favourites remain perennially popular, such as our famous butterscotch pudding and roasts on Sundays. Wherever possible, all our ingredients are sourced locally and are of the highest quality. We grow our own herbs in the garden and a quantity of vegetables, such as courgette flowers and cherry tomatoes. Our cheeseboard is mostly British too. Wine from our own vineyard, made from Muller Thurgau and Phoenix grapes, is available with your meal, while our well-stocked cellars also offer an excellent selection of vintage wines as well as discerningly chosen New World varieties. Service is attentive but not oppressively so – you’ll find our elegantly attired staff know exactly when they’re needed and, just as importantly, when they’re not!
Wine List
For many years now Thornbury Castle has received The Wine Spectator 'Award of Excellence' for its extensive wine list and the staff are always pleased to assist customers in choosing wines to complement their menu and to suit their budget.
Spa treatments
Although Thornbury Castle does not have its own spa on site, we work closely with ‘Vicarage Farm’, a nearby holistic therapy centre. Guests may book treatments in their bedchambers or take a short drive to visit the centre itself.
Rooms and suites
Lie back in a velvet-bedecked four-poster bed and gaze at the ornate carved ceiling. Glance up from your book and rest your eyes on a tapestry of a Tudor hunting scene. Let the tactile beauty of heavy regal fabrics and rugged stone walls transport you back in time. Each of the 26 bedchambers is unique but still focussing attention on historical detail, our designers have not skimped on contemporary luxuries. The rooms are far warmer than they would have been in Henry VIII’s time, and the bathrooms are both opulent and well-appointed with everything you would expect in a top-flight ensuite.
