Where is kimbolton castle

School groups are admitted to the Castle free of charge, by special arrangement. To arrange a private group or school visit to Kimbolton Castle near Cambridge, please email our Castle Historian and Visits Organiser, Mr Andrew Bamford , including your contact details. Alternatively, please call , to discuss your requirements. Menu Home.

The Early Years. Catherine is not the only ghost said to haunt Kimbolton Castle. Not only did Sir Popham die at Kimbolton but he is said to have murdered his own baby daughter by throwing her from a window above the courtyard.

The Popham Gallery at Kimbolton Castle, located above the chapel, is named after this intriguing character. Now, with a reputation as a haunted castle firmly established, Kimbolton was purchased by Henry Montagu, 1 st Earl of Manchester and remained in the Montagu family for the next years.

A large part of the castle collapsed in and the Charles Edward Montagu, the 1 st Duke of Manchester carried out huge renovation works throughout the early 18 th century. The Duke employed the services of architect Sir John Vanbrugh to transform the facades of the castle in a classical Baroque style, retaining the original castle battlements and Tudor and Stuart courtyard within.

Remnants of the old Tudor castle can be seen all over what is now as Kimbolton School. One side of the courtyard has Tudor brickwork featuring stone mullions and in the basement Tudor windows and Gothic windows can be seen as well as the original chapel. Drainpipes masked as palm trees, pilasters and scrolls above windows and a magnificent doorway, similar to that at Hampton Court, adorn the exterior of the great hall. The state bedchamber and adjoining boudoir take up the former rooms of Catherine of Aragon.

A portico was added to Kimbolton by Italian architect Alessandro Galilei and celebrated Venetian artist Pellegrini painted murals on the chapel balcony and main staircase. The chapel is adorned with images of the saints while the staircase features narrative scenes depicting the triumphs of Caesar and William III and musicians playing a fanfare from above. Justice had arrived too late and, by doing so, became injustice….

For Katherine, however, the moral and ideological victory was as important as the practical one. Her resolve was soon put to the test — yet again. Determined to exact a submission from his thus far intransigent wife, Henry sent Archbishops Lee and Tunstall north in an attempt to bring Katherine to heel.

Some sources state this happened at Buckden. However, unless there are errors in the dating of the primary source letters, this cannot be the case. The audience must have taken place at her new lodgings in Kimbolton Castle. The letter reporting on the event is dated 21 May , the same day the meeting took place, and a week after Chapuys reports that Katherine had been moved to her new lodgings.

The Archbishop of York was there, he said:. Stalemate prevailed. Both were denied access. Let us allow Chapuys to speak for himself as he describes the set piece of Renaissance propaganda that he so ably orchestrated in July There is no indication in the accounts that Katherine showed her face, but nevertheless, she must have derived enormous satisfaction and comfort from the devoted efforts of her long-time servant in highlighting her cause.

By December , Katherine lay dying in her bedchamber. The doctor moved her to take other advice, but she answered that she would in no wise have any other physician, but only commit herself to the pleasure of God. Knowing that the end was fast drawing near, Katherine summoned one of her ladies and dictated her final letter to Henry.

Here it is in full:. The hour of my death now drawing on, the tender love I ouge [owe] thou forceth me, my case being such, to commend myselv to thou, and to put thou in remembrance with a few words of the healthe and safeguard of thine allm [soul] which thou ougte to preferce before all worldley matters, and before the care and pampering of thy body, for the which thoust have cast me into many calamities and thineselv into many troubles.

For my part, I pardon thou everything, and I desire to devoutly pray God that He will pardon thou also. For the rest, I commend unto thou our doughtere Mary, beseeching thou to be a good father unto her, as I have heretofore desired.

I entreat thou also, on behalve of my maides, to give them marriage portions, which is not much, they being but three. For all mine other servants I solicit the wages due them, and a year more, lest they be unprovided for.

Lastly, I makest this vouge [vow], that mine eyes desire thou aboufe all things. Since then the complex of historic buildings inside the castle walls have been used by the school, however, the buildings are open to the public during holidays and at weekends. Most photos are available for licensing, please contact Britain Express image library. We've 'tagged' this attraction information to help you find related historic attractions and learn more about major time periods mentioned.

Heritage Rated from 1- 5 low-exceptional on historic interest. Kimbolton, St Andrew's Church - 0. Swineshead, St. Nicholas Church - 2. Bushmead Priory - 4.

Yielden Castle - 5. Buckden Towers - 5. Buckden, St Mary's Church - 5.