The Pleasance Palace was a four-acre site, made of wood with stone towers at the corners; nothing now remains except for clear ridges showing the foundations (analysed by Time Team). Henry Vth’s summer Palace, built around 1414, was only accessible across the Mere at the time; a private place to stroll in the gardens and for parties and banquets when the Royals needed to relax. The reed bed to the right shows where the King’s boats were moored. Lie amongst the grass, look out for reed warblers, and in late spring and early summer listen for the cuckoos calling. Watercress grows in the streams and it’s a haven for butterflies on warm days. Imagine yourselves in a boat drifting back across the reed beds to the Castle.
Cross the Pleasance and through the kissing gate which marks the beginning of a hawthorn path, which can be muddy and slippy in wet weather. You’ll see a useful information board detailing the local wildlife.
These trails follow the same route as the leaflets but provide more detailed and deeper information at each point of interest (and we will keep adding more as we go!).
Please note – these trails are developed and optimised for a mobile experience so may not work effectively on bigger screen sizes.
Important – Using these trails and clicking their links will require mobile data (no more than accessing web pages), please ensure you are aware of your data limits and costs before using them.
Each point contains everything you need to locate it, as well as links to mapping services for its location.
At each point you will find further information pages and links to help interpret where you are and what you are looking at.
If you spot a mistake or encounter a problem please let us know by providing your feedback on the dedicated form linked below.
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