The Castle
Visit the Castle
The Castle can be accessed with a Castle, Park and Gardens ticket, bought online or at the Ticket Hut on arrival.
The Castle is open from the 30th April – 30th September 2026 | Sunday – Thursday | 11am – 4pm (last entry 3:15pm)
A Brief History
In 1516 Grimsthorpe and its lands were presented by Henry VIII as a wedding gift to William, 11th Lord Willoughby de Eresby and his Spanish bride, Maria de Salinas, lady-in-waiting and confidante of Henry’s Queen, Katherine of Aragon. Through many different titles bestowed upon their descendants over the last five hundred years – the Duchess of Suffolk, the Earls and Marquesses of Lindsey, the Dukes of Ancaster and Kesteven, the Barons Gwydir and Aveland and the Earls of Ancaster – the ownership of Grimsthorpe has remained in successive generations of the same family united under one ancient title, the Barony of Willoughby de Eresby.
This long and continuous occupation by the Willoughbys is reflected in the remarkable collection of art and furnishings to be found in the house today: an eloquent record of the characters and fortunes of a powerful and influential dynasty over half a millennium
The Willoughby de Eresby family is one of three in England who still fulfill the hereditary office of Lord Great Chamberlain, the Monarch’s representative at the Palace of Westminster. Due to this role, Grimsthorpe houses one of the largest collections of royal thrones and furnishings outside the Royal Palaces.
