Belvoir Castle

Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire
Photo © Nancy, 10 June 2006

Belvoir Castle (pronounced Beaver) is a stately home in the English county of Leicestershire, overlooking the Vale of Belvoir. It is a Grade I listed building. The castle is near several villages, including Redmile, Woolsthorpe, Knipton, Harston, Harlaxton, Croxton Kerrial and Bottesford, and the town of Grantham. A corner of the castle is still used as the family home of the Manners family and remains the seat of the Dukes of Rutland.

Castle

The south west range and round tower of Belvoir Castle from Jones'
Views of the seats of Noblemen and Gentlemen, published in 1829.

Belvoir Castle in the late 19th century.

The medieval castle had been replaced after the Civil War and again rebuilt in the romantic style illustrated between 1799 and 1816, but in the latter year it had been almost destroyed by a fire. It was rebuilt again to largely the same designs, and barring minor details this image shows the castle as it remains today

A Norman castle originally stood on the high ground in this spot. During the English Civil War, it was one of the more notable strongholds of the king's supporters. It eventually passed into the hands of the Dukes of Rutland and following a fire, was rebuilt by the wife of the 5th Duke, and gained its present Gothic castle look. The architect James Wyatt was chiefly responsible for this restructuring, and the result is a building which bears a superficial resemblance to a medieval castle, its central tower reminiscent of Windsor Castle. The present Castle is the fourth building to have stood on the site since Norman times.

Belvoir was a royal manor until it was granted to Robert, 1st baron de Ros in 1257. When that family died out in 1508 the manor and castle passed to George Manners, who inherited the castle and barony through his mother. His son was created Earl of Rutland in 1525, and John Manners, 9th Earl of Rutland was created Duke of Rutland in 1703. So Belvoir castle has been the home of the Manners family for five hundred years, and seat of the dukes of Rutland for over three centuries.

The castle is open to the public and contains many works of art. The Queen's Royal Lancers Regimental Museum of the 17th and 21st Lancers was established here in 1964 but was required to leave in October 2007. The highlights of the tour are the lavish staterooms, the most famous being the Elizabeth Saloon (named after the wife of the 5th Duke), the Regents Gallery and the Roman inspired State Dining Room.

Estate

The castle sits in a vast estate of almost 15.000 acres (120 km²). The landscaped grounds, nearer the castle, are also open and the Root Houses, built by the fifth Duke's wife, can also be seen. The present Duchess is restoring Belvoir Gardens, which includes the Secret Valley Garden and the Rustic Summerhouse of 1800.

The estate is open to the public and offers a range of outdoor activities - shooting, fishing, quad biking and four-by-four driving. Throughout the year they host sheep, duck and dog exhibitions.

The Duke and Duchess of Rutland also manage Manners Arms, a country hotel and restaurant on the Belvoir estate.

Present use

A corner of the castle is still used as the family home of the Manners family. The castle's name means beautiful view.

"The name "Belvoir", is in fact, a Norman import by the French-speaking conquerors, though the native Anglo-Saxon population was unable to pronounce such a foreign word, preferring to call it "Beaver Castle". Belvoir Castle is still pronounced "Beaver" -- despite its spelling -- to this very day, which may actually go a long way to explaining the age-long animosity between the insulted French and the traditionalist English.."

Several films and television programmes have used it as a location, notably the film Little Lord Fauntleroy starring Sir Alec Guinness. The castle itself was used as a location for The Da Vinci Code - it represented Castel Gandolfo, the Pope's summer residence. It also featured in the 1985 film Young Sherlock Holmes starring Nicholas Rowe and Alan Cox. In September 2007, it was used as a location for The Young Victoria. In the 2001 Jim Henson production of Jack and the Beanstalk: The real story, the castle is where the giant bones have been discovered.

Since spring 2006, the castle has been the venue for an annual folk music weekend. Organised by volunteers, and run on a shoestring, performers from all over the region forgo their usual fees and expenses, for the chance to play in Belvoir's ballroom, guardroom, old servants' hall and the Regent's gallery.

Belvoir Castle is the host of Belvoir Fireworks, a pyrotechnic and firework competition.