The Cambridgeshire tower where a Tudor queen stayed

Cambridgeshire's history books include many references to royals who have visited and stayed in the county throughout the years. One of those was Queen Elizabeth I, who made a state procession across Cambridgeshire in 1578.

During that visit, she stayed at a country house in Cambridgeshire which has changed in many ways since 1578 – while some parts have barely changed at all. Today, the country house is called Kirtling Tower.

It dates back to the middle ages when there was an entire medieval castle at the site. Like any good castle, Kirtling Castle had a moat, a ditch, and a palisade as defensive measures.

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The castle was rebuilt by the North family in the 1540s, although the gatehouse – which remains today – dates back to around 1530, according to Historic England. The Norths brought in architects and landscapers who changed the appearance and structure of the grounds around the building, which was rebranded as Kirtling Hall.

New elements added during that period of renovation included a gallery, a banqueting house, and water features in the garden. Queen Elizabeth I visited in 1578 and stayed for three days, but barely anything is known about her stay – including what she thought about the castle and everything it had to offer.

Over time the castle became the largest country house in Cambridgeshire, with several extensions added throughout the years. The extra space may have been as much of a burden as a blessing, as the castle reportedly fell into disrepair by 1735, according to British History Online, and parts of it had been pulled down by 1748.

The decline continued into the 1770s and 1780s, before the castle was eventually pulled down in 1801. The gatehouse was refurbished and became a residential dwelling in the 1830s, getting its new name of Kirtling Tower.

The tower is still inhabited to this day and in previous years the gardens have been open to visitors as part of the National Gardens Scheme. Although the landscape and buildings have changed since Queen Elizabeth I's day, when the gardens are open you can still imagine yourself to be walking in the footsteps of royalty.