Dear Friends,

Welcome to August. It has been an extraordinary year so far. We have decorated lots of rooms and the castle is having a spruce-up on the building to make sure it is waterproof for scores of years to come. It’s highly specialist looking after a scheduled monument, so we have a tremendous team in who as I speak are taking the roof off! It’s raining today and my face must have been a picture as they quickly pointed out (while laughing at me) that the roof has been made waterproof and secure for the few hours it is off before being replaced.

The Tudor Dolls House is proving a huge hit with the schools as the detail is extraordinary and it is so historically accurate. I do hope you have a chance to see it soon.

August 20th. which is a Sunday we have the classic Jaguar club in with about 30 vehicles coming in to be admired. There is no extra charge to see these marvellous examples of great engineering and the love and care that has gone into some of the vehicles mean they are really worth seeing.

Talking of children, we have our famous Fairytale Bank Holiday weekend coming up at the end of the month.  I just love the number of children who dress up, and some of the parents too. It is the end of the holidays and the last of the sunshine is turning autumn gold. A day of playing and a little funfair and sitting on the grass like a scene from “The Larkins”. Children grow so fast it is lovely to tuck away some really happy memories and take marvellous photos. Just so do get your tickets now, as we do sell out see details on www.lesleysmithhistorians.co.uk or phone 01283812129 for further details.

On 3rd. September we have our annual Autumn Wedding Fair with gowns and flowers and so many more great ideas for your forthcoming wedding, so save that date if you would like to look around the castle and consider it for your wedding or a member of your family who is considering marriage. We offer traditional Medieval Handfasting’s here which is a beautiful ceremony, particularly when carried out after a legally-binding civil ceremony in our Great Hall or marquee – both of which are licenced for marriage. We have had some extraordinary events here with ring- bearing owls and our midnight handfasting’s by candlelit with a knight in shining armour and worth seeing and unforgettable.

Silver and Golden weddings enjoy coming to us for handfasting’s too to enable a public reinforcement of all those years of love. Do ask more about these ceremonies on www.lesleysmithhistorians.co.uk.

Finally, may I wish you happy, long summer days, not too hot and not too rainy but soft days with blue skies and that happiness that can be found in this beautiful country.

Best Wishes,

Leslie Smith

CURATOR