Celebrate Leeds Castle's 40th Anniversary with a limited Edition commemorative Canterbury Bear

Visit the Leeds Castle shops to take home a very special edition commemorative Canterbury Bear!

The trio of ‘famously British’ bears have been specially created in 2014 for the Castle in celebration of the charities 40^th anniversary and are an extremely limited edition.  

In 1974, The Leeds Castle Foundation first opened the Castle and grounds to the public, which remains open daily and continues to attract visitors from around the world.  

‘Henry’ is named after King Henry VIII, who owned the Castle and transformed it from a fortified stronghold into a magnificent royal palace for his first wife Catherine of Aragon from 1517 to 1523.  He is priced at £40 and is very huggable – unlike his namesake!

‘Charles’ takes his name from the Honourable Charles John Winn, first husband of the last private owner Lady Baillie and a serving officer with the 10^th Hussars. Charles was the man who inspired Lady Baillie to buy Leeds Castle. He is priced at £60 and made of mohair.

‘William’ is named after Lady Baillie’s grandfather William Whitney. He was a US Navy Secretary who later amassed a great fortune, ultimately helping to restore Leeds Castle as we see it today. He is price at £85 and is also made of mohair.

Canterbury Bears have over thirty years experience in making exceptional quality bears and supplying to retailers including Harrods, V&A Museum, Disney, Liberty's and Orient Express.

The same love and dedication goes into each and every one of the handcrafted bears which are designed to last a lifetime and beyond.

Kerstin Blackburn MD of Canterbury Bears said:

“We are delighted to be working with Leeds Castle and are proud to be able to support such a prestigious historic and local landmark. It is an excellent opportunity for our beautiful bears to be seen by people from across the county, country and the world.”

Bob Needham, Retail Manager at Leeds Castle said:

“I’m really excited that we have been able to partner with a local handcrafting supplier in Kent on these gorgeous bears. There will be some very lucky children and collectors who will have a wonderful heirloom to delight their children and grandchildren, just as their purchase helps protect the castle for now and future generations.”

You do not need an admission ticket for the Leeds Castle Shop at the main entrance and car parking is free.