Open from Monday 1 July to Thursday 29 August
Included in your Castle, Park & Gardens ticket, which you can book online in advance or on arrival at the Ticket Hut.
“Military Lives”
Summer Exhibition: Military Lives
The Noble Soldier
In the early 17th century, Grimsthorpe was home to Robert Bertie, 1st Earl of Lindsey and 14th Lord Willoughby de Eresby. Born in the Elizabethan golden age of Chivalry, Robert was defined by his career as an elite military commander at a period of intense warfare in Europe and the stirrings of civil war in England.
We explore Robert’s life through a series of objects and images. Highlights include an exceptionally rare silk doublet and trunkhose, Elizabethan armour, early military handbooks, and a very personal letter from Charles I to Robert’s son, Montagu.
Arnhem 80: Lest We Forget
To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem, we look at the lives of soldiers of 1st Battalion Parachute Regiment, whose headquarters were at Grimsthorpe Castle in 1942. Grimsthorpe and Bourne became the centre of a major airborne assault on mainland Europe in the darkest days of the Second World War.
Through a small memorial exhibition in the Chapel, we pay our respects to the soldiers who briefly called Grimsthorpe home. Visitors can find out more about two of the men based here, and see some of the surprising items we have found hidden behind the walls.
The Household Cavalry Regiment
Grimsthorpe has a long association with the Household Cavalry Regiment, which has traditionally acted as the monarch’s personal bodyguard. Twelve contemporary photographic portraits of members of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment by the renowned artist, Ripley, will be displayed in the Vanbrugh Hall.
These portraits have recently been displayed at Blenheim Palace, Royal Ascot, Floors Castle and various other exceptional locations around Britain. A set of these images was presented to King Charles III by the Regiment in 2023 to mark His Majesty’s coronation.
