The two James’ on the croquet lawn
impressive croquet lawn laid out in front of the castle’s main frontage and the location for an outing of the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, Newly mown the morning of my visit, the deep green turf looks immaculate but James says modestly.” I do very little to it. The important thing is to maintain a manicured appearance for the visitors.” James McConkie strides off through the castle doorway to reappear moments later with a set of mallets, ready for play. His enthusiasm is infectious.
The golf course and other leisure attractions remain true to their roots, as a compliment to the standing of the Grade 1 listed castle, but are not to the detriment of the Grade 2 listed English Heritage registered grounds. Befitting her high society status, Lady Baillie laid out Trust obligations that stretched beyond grounds upkeep - patronising the arts and maintaining the sporting heritage of Leeds Castle among them.
The late 1980s and early 1990s proved a particularly fruitful period, when the castle hosted international music competitions, such as the one for classical guitar adjudicated by the instrument’s leading protagonist, Andres Segovia. The intervening years have seen the
The aviary focuses on conservation
pace of 20th and 21st century technology quicken around the tranquillity of Leeds Castle estate. The team remain ever committed to honouring and delivering the wishes of the heiress, whose legacy shines so brightly. “Many pressures bear down on the estate now,” James McConkie admits. “The Kent International Gateway, Eurostar and the M20 being just three of them but the fact that the castle is built in a natural ‘bowl’ means that, no matter how much development occurs on our doorstep, we will continue to be a corner of old England, and will remain that way for as long as we stay open to the public.” Such stoicism and self-belief can bring a lump to the throat. Hearing him talk so fluently and expansively about this English gem offers hope for the future of Britain’s heritage.
Landscaping at Leeds Castle presents one of the estate’s most eyecatching and popular attributes and 30,000 to 40,000 local day visitors a year throng here just for its green spaces. Henry VIII, the most famous royal to reside here, is the man largely responsible for making the site as imposing as is witnessed today. The medieval landscape would probably have been largely treeless, James explains, although there is evidence of pollarding
The vineyard has a citation in the Domesday Book
from this period as well as tree specimens dating back to the period. “The majority of our larger trees have
been registered,” he states, “and we speculate that some of our chestnuts date back to the commemoration of victory over the Spanish Armada.” A particularly gnarled example near the entrance lodge would seem to bear him out on that point. With over 3,000 notable trees across 120 acres of mixed woodland, maintenance is a crucial aspect to preserving the arboricultural ancestry. James, drawing on his forestry management experience, has recently completed a successful programme to combat ground compaction around two of the largest cedars, which date from the 1820s. The constant tramping of feet across their bases had taken its toll over the years, and remedial action was vital to preserve their structural integrity, he says. “It was important for us to keep these magnificent trees going, to help stop the erosion and bring them back to their former glory. We’re seeing great results and the roots are no longer protruding like they used to.”
Much of the later castle landscaping was completed in 1833, in the style of Capability Brown, but the original designs predate this time. Plans available to view
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