There are places where time truly feels suspended. Thornbury Castle, a 16th-century stronghold located 120 miles west of London, is one of them. Tucked between the rolling meadows and winding hedgerows of the bucolic English countryside, this grand Tudor estate stands as more than an award-winning hotel. It’s a portal to another age — one where candlelit banquets, clandestine trysts and carefully orchestrated courtships played out within its hallowed walls. For those who long to live, however fleetingly, like a monarch, Thornbury Castle offers not just luxury accommodation in the green heart of Gloucestershire but a wholly immersive experience steeped in splendour, spectacle and centuries-old secrets.
Built in 1511 by Edward Stafford, the ill-fated Duke of Buckingham, Thornbury Castle exudes the kind of storied gravitas that even the most decadent modern resorts cannot replicate. It’s the only Tudor castle in England where guests can formally spend the night, and that simple truth defines everything. The castle’s halls once echoed with the footfalls of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, who retreated here during the sweltering summer of 1535. Today, those same halls lead to plush lounges, roaring fireplaces and suites so sumptuously adorned that one half expects a royal page to deliver parchment sealed with wax.
I arrived just as dusk softened the contours of the battlements. The sky above the castle glowed its usual autumnal shade of grey, and the chimneys, towers and turrets carved a silhouette worthy of a storybook. Within moments of stepping inside, time buckled. Carved ceilings with shimmering chandeliers loomed overhead, billowing tapestries draped the stone walls, and a suit of armour glinted beside a crackling fireplace. At reception, I was greeted not with theatrics but with the quiet grace of a team accustomed to welcoming guests into an extraordinary home. The mood was regal, yes, but also surprisingly warm. Thornbury may have once hosted kings, but it doesn’t demand courtly formality — only a sense of wonder.
The castle holds 27 bedchambers — never simply “rooms”— each with its own character, quirks and historical nuances. Mine, the “Catherine Howard” chamber set in the tower, has been picked straight from a fairytale. A hefty wooden door, framed by ancient stonework and adorned with wrought-iron detailing, gives way to a sprawling space. At its centre, an intricately carved mahogany four-poster bed swathed in rich green and red velvet holds court with its noble presence. The room’s beauty continues to unfurl the further you walk in: mullioned windows overlook flawlessly manicured gardens, a coffered ceiling catches the eye at every turn, plump cherry-red sofas beckon to be sat in, and a roll-top bath with 21st-century polish provides the perfect spot for a leisurely soak — best enjoyed with a glass of Thornbury Castle’s signature Sloe Gin from the complimentary decanter. As breathtaking as this chamber is, it’s just one of many equally captivating spaces found throughout the property.
However, it’s the Catherine of Aragon Tower Suite that remains Thornbury Castle’s crown jewel. Accessed via 77 spiralling steps, it boasts opulent 24-carat gilding and the largest four-poster bed in any hotel in the country — an enormous, 10-foot-wide perch from which to survey one’s temporary kingdom. Another highly requested room is the Henry VIII Suite, the very chamber he shared with Anne Boleyn, complete with handcrafted oak furnishings and a towering, tapestry-clad bed in hues of gold and green. Each suite holds its own unique narrative that pays homage to the castle’s history, carefully paired with modern comforts like rainfall showers, discreetly integrated flatscreen tvs, Nespresso machines, sumptuous feather bedding and Molton Brown amenities. There is no past versus present at Thornbury Castle — only harmony, and the artful balance of living history.
As is to be expected of a Relais & Châteaux property with a Michelin Key distinction and 3 AA Rosettes, dining here is its own pageantry. In wood-enveloped banqueting rooms amid portraits that could speak volumes if they chose to, the castle’s restaurant serves a cuisine that is both refined and rooted. The 3- and 6-course dinner tasting menus devised by Head Chef David Williams are a paean to seasonal British produce. Expect dishes like celeriac velouté with Braeburn apple, Cornish crab raviolo with lobster espuma, slow-roasted pork belly with brawn and black pudding, and buttery soft Gloucestershire beef cheek with heritage carrots and Bordelaise sauce. The desserts are moreish and delicate, the wine list considered and worldly, and the service as polished as the silver cutlery laid on crisp linen. Naturally, afternoon tea is also a grand affair here, served on tufted tartan armchairs in stately lounges lined with bookcases and gilded frescoes. At breakfast, things take a more laid-back pace as sunlight filters through stone tracery windows onto tables set with eggs Benedict, jewel-toned preserves and steaming hot pots of coffee.
Outside, the gardens invite exploration and escape. Thornbury’s 15 acres of walled gardens, ancient trees and immaculately kept lawns offer more than pastoral beauty — they are living artefacts. The herb garden grows the same varieties that would have seasoned Tudor feasts, and the rose garden, redesigned with historical accuracy and home to a splendid selection of 200 stems, bursts into bloom each summer like a painter’s palette. A croquet set rests on the grass, tempting friendly competition, while pathways lead past walls of flowering foliage and fountains that babble beneath watchful gargoyles.
Of course, to merely stroll is to miss some of Thornbury’s most charming diversions. Guests can try their hand at traditional archery, book a treatment in the castle’s intimate wellness room, or — perhaps most memorably — engage in a private falconry session with a hawk launching from a gloved hand into the open sky. It’s a thrilling, visceral reminder of the castle’s place in an era when such activities were not novelty but necessity. Those seeking the full immersion can opt for the “Queen for a Day” experience — complete with period costume, courtly escort and a professional photoshoot. While undeniably playful, it is also a surprisingly poignant way to connect with the history that permeates every stone. Guests interested in discovering even more about the castle and its past can also book a private tour with a local historian.
Those willing to venture beyond the castle walls will find the well-preserved St Mary’s Church just next door, a rare remnant from the early days of Henry VIII’s reign. A gentle stroll away, the medieval market town of Thornbury enchants with its Georgian shopfronts, antique stores and traditional pub or two. Further afield, excursions to Berkeley Castle, Sudeley Castle, or even a day trip to nearby Bath or Bristol offer additional layers of context and charm. Yet few guests leave for long. There’s a magnetism to Thornbury Castle that draws you inward, back to the hearth, the halls and the hush of the thick stone walls.
For all its grandeur, what sets Thornbury apart is its soul. This isn’t a castle dressed up as a hotel — it’s a castle that became a hotel, slowly and reverently, over centuries — and a 10-million-pound renovation back in 2021. The atmosphere is one of unforced elegance, where luxury is found as much in the softness of a robe or the precision of an amuse-bouche as in the knowledge that you’re tracing the footsteps of kings. Service is intuitive and sincere, delivered with the kind of quiet confidence that makes every guest feel like they belong — no matter their lineage. For those in search of immersive history, understated luxury and the fantasy of royal life made real, there is truly nowhere quite like Thornbury Castle.
To find out more about Thornbury Castle and book, visit the links below:
Thornbury Castle
Castle St
Thornbury
Bristol
BS35 1HH
United Kingdom
Web: thornburycastle.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1454 281 182
Email: reception@thornburycastle.co.uk
Instagram: @thornburycastle
Facebook: @ThornburyCastle