Walk In The Steps Of Queens At Sudeley Castle

In May of 2017, I took a long awaited vacation to the UK to visit my sister and attend a blogging conference in London. These posts are my diary of a fantastic trip. I covered a lot of ground and I must say, came home quite exhausted and ready for another vacation. I will link all current posts from this trip at the bottom of this post.

On day 3 of my visit, my sister and I packed up the car and headed north to the Cotswolds.

The weather was cloudy for the duration but thankfully the rain always seemed to stay away till our outdoor exploring was done.
There are so many footpaths here so don’t forget to bring your walking shoes. You don’t want to miss the spectacular views.

We covered a lot of ground and drove through many quaint villages with beautiful houses made of the yellow shale that truly represents this region.

Next stop, right in the heart of Cotswolds, was Sudeley Castle.

As per our usual, we got up super early and we were the first ones into the parking lot. In fact it didn’t start to get crowded until we were set to leave. It is so awesome going through Sudeley Castle alone. You can imagine exactly what it would have been like to live here. Imagine.

You are walking in the footsteps of Queen Katherine Parr, King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey, Queen Elizabeth I, Richard III and King Charles I.
At the end of the Civil War, Sudeley Castle lay neglected and derelict for almost 200 years. You can see how much larger and impressive the castle must have been.

Sudeley is one of the few castles left in England that is still a residence. It is now the home of Elizabeth, Lady Ashcombe and her son, daughter and their families. The castle is only open to visitors on specific dates so be sure to check their website before you make plans.
We were able to explore the castle rooms,

the ruins,

the pheasantry

The gardens and the chapel.

The chapel houses the tomb of Katherine Parr, the last of King Henry the Eighth’s wives. Sudeley is the only private castle to have a queen buried on it’s grounds.

There are many exhibits inside the castle itself too.

Check out the first Fitbit! Lol

There is a wooden fort for the children’s to play on outside and don’t forget to visit the gift shoppe and the restaurant for afternoon tea. The scones are to die for!
While we were enjoying our tea, we listened in to a couple making their wedding arrangements at Sudeley. I can’t even imagine how incredible that would be. In fact, the castle has hosted high-profile events, such as the 2007 wedding of English actress Elizabeth Hurley, which took place in the private chapel.
For you ghost lovers, pay close attention to the staircase famous for paranormal activity. I personally did not feel anything but one of the staff recounted a story of being pushed down when she was alone. Now she is very careful to hold on to the railings when descending.

Still not convinced about adding Sudeley Castle to your vacation? Check out this spectacular video of the Sudeley Castle grounds.
[vimeo 213645128 w=640 h=360]
If you are in the Cotswold’s, you have to visit Sudeley. You won’t be dissappointed.
Make your plans to visit Sudeley Castle here.