Longford Castle

Longford Castle stands beside the River Avon south of Salisbury in Wiltshire. It is a Grade I listed country house and the seat of the Earl of Radnor. The building began as a triangular Swedish-style castle rebuilt in the 1570s by Thomas Gorges and his Swedish wife Helena. Their work was funded partly by gold and silver from a Spanish Armada shipwreck granted by Queen Elizabeth. The castle’s three towers once represented the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, and it included a chapel, kitchens and water closets supplied by rainwater.

The house has been shaped by later owners. In the 18th century the Bouverie family bought it and landscaped the park with advice from Capability Brown. The 2nd Earl transformed the castle into a hexagonal palace with James Wyatt, while the 4th Earl added a second courtyard and domed central court under Anthony Salvin. The art collection and gardens have grown through generations of careful stewardship.

Visitors find a grand interior of state rooms, boudoirs and sitting rooms arranged around courtyards. Formal gardens laid out in the 17th-century style stretch south of the house, with avenues and rides through the surrounding park. The castle remains the home of the present Earl and opens to the public on special days, offering guided tours of its historic interiors and gardens.