🏰 Historic 16th-century castle | 👑 Visited by Henry VIII & Anne Boleyn | 🛌 26 bedchambers, sleeping 2 | 🥂 Ideal for romantic weekends | ❤️ From £299pn | ⚡️Award-winning Restaurant | 🦅 Unique on-site experiences | 📍Near the Cotswolds and Welsh Borders
Why we love Thornbury Castle for a weekend
“The fact that you can sleep in the same bedchamber where Henry VIII bedded down, walk the same grounds that Anne Boleyn roamed in (not long before her execution) and also eat like royalty in a restaurant lauded for dining excellence, is reason enough to totally lose your head for Thornbury Castle. Like we did.”
Thornbury Castle is one of those places that will take up an entire filing cabinet in your heart after you’ve stayed. It’s a place that just can’t help it. Here, within its four-foot thick walls, every stone staircase, panelled room or flag stone corridor has a tale to tell.
Take our room for instance: Mary I. Originally created for Edward Stafford, the third Duke of Buckingham, this palatial bedchamber boasted a fabulous four-poster, stunning views, a delightful ensuite – and oozed historic atmosphere.
In one corner of the room there was original castle stonework touched by centuries of royal hands. In another, the fine oriel windows that the Duke would’ve gazed out of, possibly contemplating his fate (his designs on the Tudor throne lost him his head in 1521). The room also had a resident ghost, although we didn’t experience anything and slept like kings.
But you don’t have to just take our word for it. The castle comes with a string of independent accreditations and awards: it is a Relais & Chateaux Hotel – so proper VIP stuff – and has been awarded 3 AA Rosettes for food quality. It also has 4 Red Stars for service quality and operation.
We can certainly attest to the service and food excellence. The cocktails we were served next to the lounge fireplace before dinner were marvellous; the 6-course tasting menu that followed in the ornate dining room was magnificent. If you prefer, you can choose from an a la carte menu, afternoon tea, and lounge menu.
Whilst there’s no spa or pool at the castle, you really don’t miss them because there are plenty of other things to do, including croquet, archery, clay-pigeon shooting, and falconry, which can be arranged with prior notice and for an extra charge. You can even take a history tour of the castle with a local guide (for a donation of £20pp) and dress up in Tudor costume for complete immersion!
Should you wish to explore further afield, Berkeley Castle, where Edward II was murdered, is 20 minutes away, and Sudeley Castle, where Henry VIII’s last wife, Catherine Parr, was buried, is an hour’s drive. So you truly can geek out on English history during your time here. Alternatively, you can stay castle bound and work your way down the cocktail menu, like we did.
The Essentials
- Thornbury Castle is the only Tudor castle in the UK which operates as a hotel and restaurant
- Located near Bristol and overlooking the Gloucestershire countryside
- Bedchamber rates at Thornbury Castle start from £299
- For dinner, three courses from the A-la-Carte menu costs £75
- Onsite activities and experiences include historical tours, dress up as a Tudor, clay-pigeon shooting, and falconry
- The Castle offers an indulgent menu of beauty treatments in its treatment room
- There’s one accessible room, fully equipped for a visitor in a wheelchair, on the ground floor
- Well-behaved dogs can stay for £25 a night
Eye Candy
