In a competition for the most beautiful castle still in private hands in England, Sudeley Castle and Gardens would be a strong contender. Everything about it, its location, its tranquil and harmonious gardens, its sensitive and elegant restoration, and above all its fascinating and romantic history, render it one of England's gems.
Set in the rolling Gloucestershire countryside, to the westernmost end of the Cotswolds, at the top of a gentle incline above the River Isbourne, Sudeley is about a mile south-east of the ancient town of Winchcombe, once the capital of the Saxon kingdom of Mercia. From the grounds of the Castle, one can look south-west to the peak of Cleeve Cloud.
