Can you imagine walking in the footsteps of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, visiting the castle they stayed in when they were still in love (no chopped off heads at this point)? Well, if you go to the Thornbury Castle Hotel, in South West England, you can do exactly that. It’s magical to travel back in time, while you can actually stay in the room the royals slept in on their honeymoon tour.

 

King Henry VIII at Thornbury Castle Hotel

 

This extraordinary Tudor Castle hotel stands on the edge of the charming town of Thornbury, not far from Bristol (around two hours or so from London). It reeks with history, has stunning views, huge chimneys, and beautiful grounds – the oldest Tudor gardens in England (where, when the weather’s nice you can enjoy a typically English cream tea). It also boasts roaring fires, four-poster beds, a suit of armour and even its own impressively crested toilet tissue.

 

Thornbury Castle Hotel
Tower by Sarah Ebner

 

Work on building the castle began back in 1511 and it was intended to be a home for the Duke of Buckingham. Ten years later, when the building was almost finished, Buckingham (a distant cousin of the king) was accused of treason by Henry. He was beheaded and his castle confiscated.
Fourteen years later, the King took his new bride, Anne, to stay at Thornbury for ten days. Mary Tudor (“Bloody Mary”) also stayed here as a princess, but after her death, the Castle went back to Buckingham’s descendants.

 

Thornbury Castle Hotel
by Sarah Ebner

 

It became a hotel far more recently, back in the 1960s, and has recently been renovated and refurbished. It is not the kind of place you stay at and then forget, being quirky and atmospheric. Its 26 bedchambers are all different from each other. The Duke’s bedchamber is the room which Henry and Anne slept in (you won’t be surprised to hear that you need to book early for this!) while the