Leeds Castle Through Nine Centuries

By David A.H. Cleggett

The official history of Leeds Castle, by the historical adviser and archivist to the Leeds Castle Foundation, has been completely rewritten. Divided into three parts, Part I, The Royal Centuries, relates the founding of the castle, circa 1120 until 1552. Part II, Changing Fortunes, traces the ownership of the castle by the St. Leger, Culpeper, Fairfax and Martin families between 1552 and 1821.

Virginia Proprietary

The acquisition, development and disposal of the Virginia Proprietary is also discussed in separate chapters in this part of the narrative. Part III, Modern Times, deals with the rebuilding of the castle in 1822, its occupation by the Wykeham Martin family until 1926, continues with a comprehensive narrative of the profound alterations made to the fabric during the occupation of the last private owner from 1926-74.

Leeds Castle Foundation

Part III concludes with a record of the first ten years of the castle in the ownership of Leeds Castle Foundation. Through the Culpeper and Fairfax families Leeds Castle had a close connection with the colony of Virginia. Through the St. Leger family the castle had as close an association with Ireland as it did with Virginia. Original correspondence and documentation is used extensively throughout the work and in Chapters VII and IX are several letters from members of the Fairfax and Martin families setting out the developing quarrel between Great Britain and her North American colonies. Chapter XII is a narrative setting out the influence of the Paget, Whitney and Payne families, each distinguished in its own way, on the life of the last private owner of the castle, Hon. Olive, Lady Baillie.

Armand Albert Rateau

The extremely important work carried out by Armand Albert Rateau in collaboration with Owen Little between 1927-29 is comprehensively discussed in Chapter XIII. The decorative schemes introduced by Stephan Boudin are discussed in Chapter XIV. Chapter XV is devoted to the build-up and dispersal of Lady Baillie's collection of paintings, tapestries and textiles, furniture, clocks, porcelain and works of art. Several chapters have appendices setting out in detail the content of exchequer requisitions, covering repairs and alterations to the fabric, between 1314 and 1543. There are also inventories of the castle's contents in 1414, 1532, 1689, 1719, and 1768. The dispersal of the important library in January, 1831 and its subsequent fate are fully discussed in an appendix. 338 pages, with twenty-nine illustrations, several in colour, two plans, a map of the Virginia Proprietary, seven genealogical tables, an extensive critical bibliography and index. Each copy is hand-bound in maroon buckram.
Leeds Castle Foundation; ISBN: 0951882759

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