Leybourne Castle History
Construction of the Leybourne Castle was begun by Roger de Leyburn in 1260 without a license and the justiciar was ordered to stop him and, if necessary, to pull down the castle.
At the time Roger was an opponent of Henry III but he later changed sides.
It was Roger who saved the King’s life at the Battle of Evesham in 1265. In the circumstances, he was allowed to finish his castle and a grant of building stone to Roger by the King in 1266 marks the reconciliation between them.
After the de Leybourne family died out in 1367 and the castle passed to the king who granted it to the newly founded Cistercian abbey of St Mary Graces by the Tower in London.
Following the dissolution, the property returned to a king who granted it to Sir Edward North, Chancellor of the King’s Court and Privy Councillor who later became a baron.
The property passed through numerous families and when the castle ceased to be inhabited a manor house was built onto the remaining walls c the 18th century. This house became the residence of the Golding family, Thomas Golding being Sheriff of Kent in 1703.
The Leybourne Castle is now a private domain and it is not open for visits.
