Celebrating Excellent Kentish Harvest Produce at Leeds Castle

As the nights are drawing in and the countryside of Kent turns to the rich hues of autumn, Leeds Castle has teamed up with some popular local food producers and our shops are bursting with delicious autumn goodies made right on your doorstep.

We are celebrating excellent local produce at Leeds Castle with Nip from the Hip Liqueurs, made near Maidstone, honey from a broad range of independent beekeepers across Kent, wines from Biddenden Vineyard and apple and pear crisps from Perry Court Farm, in the Stour Valley near Ashford.

James Sandy, Owner of our newest Kent supplier, Wantsum Brewery in Canterbury, said:

“The Wantsum brewery brand is founded on the rich history of Kent.  We are very excited to be supplying Leeds Castle as it's iconic status in Kent's history fits perfectly.  Further, it opens our product range to a huge demographic as it is visited by people from around the world”.

Nip from the Hip Liqueurs are made near Maidstone by Alison and Joy, a mother-daughter team. The inspiration for the company came from Alison and Paul’s wedding in 2011. Select guests were given hip flasks as a gift, filled with delightful Gin and Vodka based liqueurs made by Alison’s mother Joy.  Having a “nip from the hip” became common place in the day’s proceedings!  The liqueurs are made using Kent grown fruit to ensure the best possible quality.

Blue Bell Hill Apiaries produce honey without blending as other producers do.  Every time you buy from a new batch, it will have a deliciously different flavour influenced by the blooms in the local area at the time the bees were feeding.

Perry Court Farm is located in the Stour Valley in the finest Kent countryside near Ashford, surrounded by traditional apple and pear orchards, fields of fresh vegetables and summer fruits.  Run by Charlie Fermor, the family have been growing wonderful fruit and vegetables in a responsible and environmentally friendly way on the farm for three generations.

Leeds Castle is stocking their sweet and tangy apple and pear crisps, they are just sliced and air dried fruits; and juices from single varieties to show off the unique tastes.

Retail Manager for Leeds Castle, Bob Needham said:

“It’s wonderful to be able to partner with local business at the same time as fundraising to preserve the Castle for our local and international visitors. All of these products are truly excellent quality and ideal to put by for Christmas treats and gifts.

I’m glad to say many are firm favourites already, and our staff will be happy to help customers put together a selection of delicious foods and drink for that hard to buy for friend or family member.” 

You do not need an admission ticket for the Leeds Castle Shop at the main entrance and car parking is free. The shop is open daily from 10am – 5pm. Key to the Castle ticket holders can also visit the Castle Island shop daily from 10am - 4pm.

Leeds Castle encourages local students to get creative!

Leeds Castle has announced the winner of a design competition, run last year in conjunction with Invicta Grammar School in Maidstone.

Students were encouraged to get creative and design some new characters for Leeds Castle, which would appeal to a younger audience whilst still reflecting the history of the castle.

Hannah Marno, aged 18, was the winner for her excellent creation of a full set of characters, each with their own personalities and fitting the brief exactly.

Retail Manager at Leeds Castle, Bob Needham said:

“We were really excited and impressed with all the entries we received and very grateful for the time, consideration and effort that has obviously gone in to the work. They were all great pieces and there are obviously some budding artists and designers at Invicta Grammar School!”

Hannah’s characters include a knight called Sir John, a Princess ‘with attitude’ called Catherine, Arthur the Peacock, Lancelot the Black Swan and the Merlin the White Swan.

Since the competition ended last year, Leeds Castle has been working with Hannah to adapt and develop the characters, which have been reproduced onto life-size cut  outs, for the enjoyment of younger visitors to the Knight’s Realm Playground at the Castle.

Due to the outstanding quality of the illustrations produced, Leeds Castle also commissioned Hannah to produce more drawings of her characters, which will shortly be launched on a wide range of merchandise in the retail outlets at the Castle. 

The merchandise includes notebooks, mugs, key rings and stationary ranging from £1-£5.

Hannah recently finished her last year at Invicta Grammar School and is about to start College where she will study for a degree in Graphic Illustration, which will hopefully lead to a career in the creative industries sector.

Hannah was also one of only two students from Invicta Grammar School to receive a bursary from the Benenden branch of NADFAS, to support her development as an artist. 

Invicta Grammar School, which specialises in business and enterprise,  has built a successful business partnership with the Castle over the last few years and is proud of this first successful retail venture which has given school pupils the opportunity to work on live commercial briefs provided by business partners – an important aspect of the educational experience.

The retail partnership will continue with two new cushion designs, which will be available in time for Christmas from the Leeds Castle shops.

One cushion will depict the black swan and will be produced using the Invicta CAM embroidery machines. The other design will feature a jacquard fabric, designed by Invicta student Lucy Hennessy, woven in Italy as part of the British Council Comenius partnership with Invicta’s business partner school Enrico Tosi, in Busto Arzizio near Milan in northern Italy.