Kimbolton Castle

01/06/2026

Free admission | Booking required | Doors: 6.30pm | Start: 7.00pm

Reserve your space here: https://www.ticketsource.com/kimboltoncastle/t-plldyvm

Join Dr Simon Thurley CBE, former Chief Executive of English Heritage and Chair of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, for a lecture on the rebuilding of Kimbolton Castle and the Duke of Manchester’s choice of architect. What shaped architectural patronage in the late seventeenth century—connection, reputation, or chance? Discover the story behind Kimbolton’s transformation and the role of Vanbrugh.

Dr Simon Thurley CBE is a distinguished historian and heritage leader. He serves as Chair of the Delivery Authority for the Restoration and Renewal of the Houses of Parliament, is a member of the British Library Capital Programme Board and is Chair of the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation. From 2002 to 2015, he was Chief Executive of English Heritage, where he was responsible for the National Heritage Collection of 420 sites, and in 2021 was appointed Chair of The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

11/05/2026

We’re delighted that all school places for our schools' week at Kimbolton Castle are fully booked — we’ve had an amazing response ! 📚✨

It’s been wonderful to see such enthusiasm for learning about Sir John Vanbrugh and his extraordinary legacy and we’re excited to welcome pupils and teachers alike in July.

If you weren’t able to secure a space for your school , you can still get involved. A wide range of FREE educational resources is available online for schools and groups thanks to — no visit required. From lesson plans and worksheets to PowerPoint slides and teacher packs, the materials are designed for KS1 & KS2 and link clearly to History, Literacy, Maths, Art and D&T.

👉 Visit www.vanbrugh300.co.uk, head to the Learning Hub, and click Free Resources to explore.

We can’t wait to welcome our booked schools soon — and hope many more will enjoy the resources online!

06/05/2026

This summer, Kimbolton Castle plays host to a programme celebrating the 300th anniversary of Sir John Vanbrugh (1664–1726) — visionary architect, acclaimed dramatist and one of the most original talents of the Georgian age.

Part of a year‑long national celebration led by The Georgian Group and supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the events offer new perspectives on Vanbrugh’s life, work and enduring influence.

📅 Free public events at Kimbolton Castle – July

2 July, 6.30pm
Courtier, Playwright and Castle: the Unlikely Making of Kimbolton
Lecture in the Lewis Hall with Simon Thurley, Chair of The National Lottery Heritage Fund

7–9 July, 2pm & 3.45pm
Vanbrugh Revealed
Guided Castle tours with Curator Andrew Bamford and Art Historian Julie Brown

13 July, 7pm
Vanbrugh and the 4th Earl of Manchester: Architect and Patron
Talk by Curator Andrew Bamford in the Saloon

🎟️ Book free tickets and discover the full programme via the Vanbrugh300 website or this link: https://www.ticketsource.com/kimboltoncastle

03/05/2026

The event starts today at 10am, with tickets available at the gate!

02/05/2026

Organised by the Kimbolton School Parents Association, join us this Bank Holiday weekend at Knights, Queens and Time Machines - A Living History Event!

02/05/2026

Today we celebrate the birthday of William Shakespeare, whose words have echoed across the stage at Kimbolton School since the 1950's. The Castle has been a venue for performances including (but not limited to) 'Julius Caesar,' 'Macbeth,' 'The Merchant of Venice,' 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' and 'King Henry the Eighth.'

The drama program in our Archives for Kimbolton's performance of 'King Henry the Eighth' hosted on 19, 20 & 21 July 1962 explains:

'It is most fitting that the play should be performed in Kimbolton Castle for it is here, of course, that Queen Katherine of Aragon died. The Kimbolton scene in this play occurs after the second interval, shortly after the coronation procession. In this scene, if the weather is completely fine, the dower-chest used will be Queen Katherine's own, at present on loan from the Duke of Manchester.'

Please enjoy these photographs from a few of our Shakespeare performances in days gone by!

21/04/2026

Need plans for the Bank Holiday weekend? Look no further than History Alive! Book your tickets here!
Sunday: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/booking/t-vxxvjoa
Monday: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/booking/t-kddrpap

08/04/2026

Kimbolton School Parents Association 👏👏

Tickets are now available for History Alive - Two Thousand Years of History comes to Life - at Kimbolton Castle, Huntingdon on Mon 4 May 2026 at 10:30AM. Click the link for further information and to secure your tickets now!

30/03/2026

🎊 Vanbrugh: Rockstar of the English Baroque 🎸
Discover the extraordinary life of Sir John Vanbrugh - architect, playwright, soldier and spy, at 5 of his historic houses this year. Through a series of core panels, these special displays traces Vanbrugh’s journey from his early travels and imprisonment abroad, to his rise as a dramatist and member of the influential Kit-Cat Club, and finally to his groundbreaking architectural career.

Featuring newly commissioned photography, original plans, and historic artworks, it explores his major commissions and the powerful networks that shaped his work and legacy.

Each location, as well as including core panels about Vanbrugh’s life, offer a unique perspective on Vanbrugh’s relationship with his patrons and the iconic buildings he created at that site.

Here at Kimbolton Castle, discover how Vanbrugh combined history and imagination to create a ‘castle air’ through his design. The exhibition highlights his collaboration with Charles Montagu and shows how his work here helped inspire later Gothic Revival architecture.

To find out more head to the What’s On page at www.vanbrugh300.co.uk
The Vanbrugh300 festival is organised and presented by , with funding from .