Fan of I’m a Celeb…? Step inside these incredible castles

A majestic palace in Devon

Mamhead House, in its current form, was built in 1827. But the estate itself goes much further back into history, and there has been a building there for many centuries.

It’s recorded in the Domesday Book way back in 1086 as belonging to a Ralph de Pomeroy, a tenant-in-chief of William the Conqueror. It has gone on to be owned by several distinguished families since then. Even William of Orange allegedly accommodated his supporters on the estate.

When a wealthy merchant name Robert Newman acquired the estate in 1823, he hired celebrated architect Anthony Salvin to draw up his new project – only Salvin was not well known at the time. It was his elaborate design of Mamhead House that made his name and thrust him into the public eye.

Robert Newman originally had the property built so it could be his marriage home. Nope, we don’t know exactly what that means either. But the entire building is of astonishing beauty.

It’s almost overwhelming, as palaces should be. It’s got 16 grand bedrooms, and room after room (dining room, oak room, library, drawing rooms, sitting room, and the list goes on) with rich features and details to take in.

Many kings, queens, and illustrious royals from around the world were hosted in this palace. Queen Adelaide had her own private bedroom there, now known as the Queen’s Room.

Newman’s family motto ‘Ubi amor ibi fides’ (where there is love there is trust) is exquisitely carved above the grand front door and throughout the place.

A grand Scottish castle with rumours of being haunted

Earlshall Castle was built in the mid-1500’s by Sir William Bruce, a member of the historic Lowlands Scottish clan Bruce.

Sir Bruce was a survivor of the famous Battle of Flodden, the largest battle in the history of Britain between the kingdoms of England and Scotland, and where James IV King of Scots lost his life.

A number of high calibre guests were hosted in this extraordinary courtyard castle, including Mary Queen of Scots and James VI of Scotland (who later became James I of England).

One of the most notorious Barons of Earlshall was Sir Andrew the “Bloody Bruce”, who earned his name by hacking off the hands and head of one of his enemies. It is said that his ghost haunts the castle, and that his footsteps can be heard from time to time going up and down the spiral stairs.

After several generations of the Bruce family, the castle was sold on but eventually became derelict.

It was in the late 1800’s that it was restored by none less than the renowned architect and designer Sir Robert Lorimer, considered by most as the greatest architect Scotland has ever produced.

The stunning walled garden designed by Lorimer is still there, and is truly something to behold.

Rare moated castle in Staffordshire

There are very few castles in Britain that are still surrounded by their original moats, and this beauty is one of them.

Caverswall Castle dates back as far as the 13^th century. It was originally a manor house owned by the noble Caverswall family, who were given what’s known as a license to crenellate – a permission granted, usually by a king, to fortify a property.

The resulting moat and curtain walls are striking.

Over the hundreds of years it fell into ruins, until the estate was acquired by a local wool merchant who went on to rebuild the existing mansion over what was left of the original building. He kept the old castle walls as they were.

The main entrance to the castle is accessed by a beautifully carved sandstone bridge, which would have replaced the original drawbridge.

A majestic Castle straight out of a fairy tale

The history behind Devizes Castle is incredibly rich. There’s been a castle on the site since the days of William the Conqueror in the 11^th century.

It is perhaps the most famous of today’s selection, and this national treasure in Wiltshire might also be our favourite.

Every corner of this grand palace is stunning. The outside is just as you’d imagine a castle in Sleeping Beauty would look like, standing gloriously amongst the tall trees and greenery.

And the detail on the inside is almost too much to grasp. The ornate ceilings, detailed stone archways, and floor-to-ceiling carved marble fireplaces are just a few of the features that caught our attention.

It was burnt down and re-built in during the reign of King Henry I, and from that point onwards became a popular residence for the Monarchy. King John was a regular at the castle, followed by Henry III and Edward I.

It remained in the hands of the Crown until the 1600’s, and was the residence of the Queens of England, including Henry VIII’s wives.

It was largely destroyed during the 17^th century civil war between the king and Parliament. Nearly two hundred years later, it was brought to its present state of glory by the celebrated architect H.E. Goodridge – the same guy who designed the ‘Beckford’s Tower’ near Bath.

This property is listed for sale with Savills.

Gothic-style Victorian castle in Leicestershire

In castle terms, Wartnaby Castle is relatively new. It was built in the mid-1800’s and has undergone several refurbishments since, so it’s actually pretty suitable for a modern-day family, in case you have £2.65 million and fancy a change.

Imposing reception halls, carved marble fireplaces, high ceilings, and grand staircases are some of the features that make this a remarkable place.

The nine large bedrooms and seven reception rooms should be plenty of space for the average British family. And we think the heated indoor swimming pool complex with a bar area is a significant selling point too!

And the 25 acres of grounds surrounding the castle are spectacular. The route on the long driveway leading to the palace looks gorgeous, as it passes by the landscaped gardens and water fountain.