Rockingham Castle is home to the Saunders Watson family, whose ancestors have made their lives here for the last 450 years, following the sale of the Castle by James I in 1619 to Sir Lewis Watson.

Built on the instructions of William the Conqueror between 1066 – 1071, Rockingham Castle has sat resplendent on an escarpment dominating the Welland Valley for almost a millennium. Today, the Castle offers a glimpse of life through the ages from the routine of the Servants’ Hall and Old Kitchen to the Victorian splendour of the Long Gallery.

Rockingham Castle’s grounds and Formal Gardens are no less of a journey through time. The layout of gardens dates from the 17th century, following the restoration of the Castle gardens after the English Civil Wars. Emulating the Norman keep, the circular Rose Garden was laid by Sir Anthony Salvin in the mid-nineteenth century and corresponds with his design of the Flag Tower in 1836. 2026 promises to be a spectacular season for the Rose Garden, as our David Austin Roses Partnership Garden is set to come into bloom. For the more adventurous, the Wild Garden offers unrestrained beauty and the chance to be at one with nature.