Overview

This was once the largest private house in the country. Originally a Norman Castle, it was home of William Paulet, Marquess of Winchester, a rich servant of the Tudor sovereigns. Sadly, the palace was destroyed during the English Civil War when after withstanding the longest siege of the war, thanks to fortifications designed by Inigo Jones, it fell to Oliver Cromwell. The ruins of both the great Tudor palace and the original Norman castle remain today, enabling visitors to revel in a mass of wells and walls, cellars and towers. There is a spectacular barn, a riverside walk and a recently re-created 17th century period garden, together with exhibitions, guided tours and demonstrations.