Moated medieval castle with a manor house, a Tudor tower and a barn · near Maidstone, Kent
5.01 reviewA moated castle on two islands near Maidstone in Kent, with a tower, a manor house and a barn on the same estate for weddings.
Leeds Castle in Broomfield, near Maidstone in Kent, stands on two small islands in a moat lake formed by damming the River Len, and the water is the defining feature of the estate. Medieval queens of England held the castle, and Henry VIII transformed it for Catherine of Aragon. Olive, Lady Baillie later bought it, restored it and received the most glamorous houseguests of her day, including Edward VIII, Errol Flynn, Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin. On her death she bequeathed the estate to the Leeds Castle Foundation. Beyond the moat the estate holds Culpeper Garden, the Lady Baillie Mediterranean Garden Terraces and Princess Alexandra Gardens, and falcons still fly over the parkland.
The castle, the Maiden's Tower, Battel Hall, the Fairfax Barn and marquees on the estate lawns are the settings for weddings at Leeds Castle, each on the same estate. Experienced wedding coordinators guide couples from the first enquiry through to the wedding day, and the grounds, including the moat, the parkland and the maze, can be used for wedding photography. Beyond the day itself, the estate has a falconry centre, walking trails and the Castle View Restaurant, which faces the moat and the castle. Couples can also book a showround of the venues before they decide.
Leeds Castle
Images courtesy of Leeds Castle
Facts checked 5 October 2026
Indoor ceremonies take place in the Ceremony Room in the castle, in the Long Gallery of the Maiden's Tower and in a ceremony room at Battel Hall. Outdoors, couples can marry on the Pavilion Lawn or on Castle Island, and the Maiden's Tower has a private garden where ceremonies are also held. Indoor and outdoor settings suit both larger and more intimate ceremonies, and the moat lake surrounds every ceremony. The Fairfax Barn is not a ceremony venue.
In the castle, the wedding breakfast and the evening reception are held in its principal reception rooms. In the Maiden's Tower the Long Gallery serves for the ceremony and the wedding breakfast, and the Tudor Hall holds the evening reception. Battel Hall is a secluded manor house with a private walled garden and a panelled dining room for the wedding breakfast. The Fairfax Barn is a rustic barn with a terrace room and an outside terrace, and is used for evening parties. For the largest celebrations, marquees on the estate lawns are available, and they suit Asian, Middle Eastern and other cultural weddings in particular.
The castle has bedrooms on Castle Island, including a Bridal State bedroom, with views across the moat. The Maiden's Tower has its own exclusive accommodation on the island, and Battel Hall is taken in its entirety as a secluded medieval manor house. Elsewhere on the estate there are Stable Courtyard rooms, Lakeside Lodges and self-catering holiday cottages. Across the estate, staying guests have complimentary daytime castle admission and out-of-hours access to the grounds.
Catering is provided through a handpicked network of preferred caterers rather than a single in-house operation, so the wedding breakfast menu is shaped to each couple. Styles include British seasonal, country house, formal wedding breakfast, Asian and cultural banquets, afternoon tea, canapés and bowl food, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, halal and kosher dishes provided for. Lady Baillie's founding philosophy guides the approach: that guests should receive the finest dining and the highest standard of service.
Up to 100 guests marry in the Ceremony Room and dine in the Salon, with its stone fireplace and moat views.
The CastleExclusive use until midnight, two wedding rooms, a walled garden for ceremonies and five bedrooms.
Maiden's Tower
An early 14th-century house with wisteria, a panelled dining room and a three-night stay for the wedding party.
Battel HallA 17th-century timber-framed barn with a terrace facing the Castle, for evening parties of up to 180.
The evening
First-floor principal rooms once used for Lady Baillie's guests, furnished with antiques and original Art Deco marble bathrooms. The Bridal State bedroom is included in the Castle packages; extra State rooms have been offered with the package.
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Smaller Castle rooms on the upper floors for wedding guests, each named and styled after a member of the 1930s housekeeping staff.
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En-suite rooms in period style with a modern finish, included in the Maiden's Tower and Exclusive Use packages.
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En-suite bedrooms in the medieval manor, including the Wisteria Bedroom used as a bridal suite; the Battel Hall package covers up to 14 guests for three nights.
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Bed and breakfast rooms in the former stables, used for evening guests and included with the Fairfax Barn package.
EnquireModern lodges on the bank of the Great Water for two, from £259 a night on the official stay pages.
Enquirecombining multiple spaces and accommodation across all estate properties for a private multi-day wedding in the heart of Kent.
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Leeds Castle is in Broomfield, near Maidstone in Kent. Bearsted and Hollingbourne stations have direct trains from London Victoria, followed by a short taxi ride to the castle. By road, the castle is close to junction 8 of the M20.
Leeds Castle, Broomfield, Maidstone, Kent ME17 1PL, United Kingdom
Transfers. A golf buggy takes the couple and their photographer around the grounds on the day, included in the packages.
Parking. Complimentary parking for wedding guests is included in the Castle, Maiden's Tower, Exclusive Use and Fairfax Barn packages. The estate has a large visitor car park.
Hollingbourne (Southeastern) is the nearest station, about 1.2 miles from the venue in a straight line.
Venue hire package for the Maiden's Tower, VAT included, for off-peak weekdays. Catering is extra.
Maiden's Tower package:
Food and drink are not included.
Wow, Leeds Castle was stunning. Set in the countryside, the drive up to the castle was spectacular, and we weren't disappointed. The grounds are stunning. It just got better and better, the Maze, Falconry, and the castle. The food was good here, and the restaurant was superb. There was a boat ride available on the lake, Go-Ape, and play areas. You could easily spend a day here. The staff were polite and knowledgeable, and the castle itself is steeped in history.
The wedding spaces at Leeds Castle can be taken privately; the property is not hired whole. It covers combining multiple spaces and accommodation across all estate properties for a private multi-day wedding in the heart of Kent.
Leeds Castle has 1 suite.
Weddings at Leeds Castle start from £5,500 for venue hire.
Prices on request
Ask for a place, a name, a trade or the whole wedding. Every answer comes from checked records.
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