Norman fortification

A Norman castle originally stood on the high ground within the wapentake of Framland, overlooking the adjacent wapentake of Winnibriggs^[9] in Lincolnshire and dominating both.^[10] It was built on the land of Robert de Todeni, mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, and inherited from him by William d'Aubigny. It eventually passed to William's granddaughter Isabel, who married Robert de Ros c. 1234.

Belvoir was a royal manor until it was granted to Robert de Ros in 1257. He was given a licence to crenellate in 1267.^[11] When the male de Ros line died out in 1508, the manor and castle passed to George Manners, 11th Baron de Ros, nephew of the last baron de Ros, who inherited the castle and barony through his mother. His son was created Earl of Rutland in 1525.

Tudor manor

By 1464, the Norman castle was recorded to be ruins. In 1528, Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland started construction of a large Tudor manor house. It was completed in 1555.^[12][13] Much of the stone for this building came from Croxton Abbey and Belvoir Priory following their dissolution.^[12]: 22

Two local carpenters refurbished the billiard table in 1602 and a new baize cloth was bought from a merchant in Grantham.^[14] James VI and I, Prince Henry and the Venetian ambassador Antonio Foscarini stayed in August 1612.^[15] In the early 17th century, servants Joan, Margaret and Phillipa Flower were accused of murdering the 6th Earl's two young sons by witchcraft. Joan died while in prison and Margaret and Phillipa were hanged.^[16]

During the English Civil War, it was one of the more notable strongholds of the king's supporters and King Charles spent a night here on his way into Lincolnshire.^[12]: 30

Country house

In 1649, the Tudor building was razed by Parliamentarians because of the family's support for the Royalists. But six years later, construction on a large family home - designed by the architect John Webb - was started in 1654.^[12]: 8 Work was completed by 1668^[12]: 32 and cost £11,730 (£2.14 million today).

The 9th Earl was created Duke of Rutland in 1703. Belvoir Castle has been the home of the Manners family for five hundred years and seat of the Dukes of Rutland for over three centuries.

Georgian revival

In 1799, the 5th Duke of Rutland married Lady Elizabeth Howard. The new Duchess of Rutland soon chose architect James Wyatt to rebuild the castle in the romantic Gothic Revival style. The Duke, one of the wealthiest landholders in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, sold seven assorted villages and their surrounding lands to fund the massive project.^[8] The project was nearing completion when, on 26 October 1816, it was almost destroyed by a fire.^[17] The loss - including pictures by Titian, Rubens, van Dyck, and Reynolds - was estimated at £120,000 (£9.77 million today).

Rebuilt, again, to largely the same designs, at a cost of an additional £82,000 (£8.11 million today), the castle was largely completed by 1832. The architect Sir James Thornton^[12]: 50 (who was the Duke's friend and chaplain and Vicar of nearby Bottesford^[18]) was chiefly responsible for this rebuilding, and the result bears a superficial resemblance to a medieval castle, its central tower reminiscent of Windsor Castle.

Whilst visiting Belvoir castle in the 1840s, Anna, Duchess of Bedford, found that the normal time for dinner was between 7:00 and 8:30 p.m. An extra meal called luncheon had been created to fill the midday gap between breakfast and dinner, but as this new meal was very light, the long afternoon with no refreshment at all left people feeling hungry. She found a light meal of tea (usually Darjeeling) and cakes or sandwiches was the perfect balance. The Duchess found taking an afternoon snack to be such a perfect refreshment that she soon began inviting her friends to join her. Afternoon tea quickly became an established and convivial repast in many middle and upper class households.^[19]

The castle is open to the public and contains many works of art. The highlights of the tour are the lavish state rooms, the most famous being the Elizabeth Saloon (named after the wife of the 5th Duke), the Regents Gallery and the Roman-inspired State Dining Room.

The Queen's Royal Lancers regimental museum of the 17th and 21st Lancers was established here in 1964, but was required to leave in October 2007. The Royal Lancers and Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Museum is now at Thoresby Hall.

Gardens

Belvoir Gardens were designed and landscaped by Elizabeth Howard, 5th Duchess of Rutland, who was married to John Manners, the 5th Duke of Rutland. They were created in 1799, the year Belvoir Castle was built. There are many unusual features to the gardens, for example the natural amphitheatre which faces the estate was formed by the moraines of glaciers and a 'root house' or summer house which survives to this day. This natural amphitheatre is embedded with fresh water springs to ensure blooming plants throughout the year.

Belvoir Gardens were also the first site of mass spring flower bedding, a concept developed by Mr Divers, head gardener of the gardens at the time.

The once thriving gardens are now slowly being restored to their former glory. "Friends of Belvoir Gardens" is a programme which encourages enthusiasts with green fingers to volunteer to help manage the beautifully preserved gardens.

Burials

The following members of the Manners family are buried in the mausoleum:

• John Manners, 1st Duke of Rutland
• John Manners, 2nd Duke of Rutland
• John Manners, 3rd Duke of Rutland
• Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland
• John Manners, 5th Duke of Rutland
• Marion Margaret Violet Lindsay Manners, Duchess of Rutland
• Duff Cooper, 1st Viscount Norwich, son-in-law of the 8th Duke
• Diana Cooper, Viscountess Norwich
• Charles Manners, 10th Duke of Rutland