Along with Bolton Castle, East Riddlesden Hall and Fountains Hall, Ripley Castle doubled for Greenwich Palace in the filming of Channel 5’s Anne Boleyn drama. Here it was the beautiful waterside area that featured in scenes set along the riverbank of Greenwich Palace. The castle grounds were also used in bridleway scenes.
The water feature at Ripley Castle is actually a large ornamental lake. The 14th-century castle, with its turrets and crenellated walls, is visible from its banks. Beyond that, there’s a famous deer park dotted with oak trees, some of which have been standing as long as a thousand years.
Like Greenwich Palace (also known as the Palace of Placentia), Ripley Castle has a long and illustrious history. The Ingilby family have resided here for over 700 years and survived civil war, persecution, political intrigue, the industrial revolution and more. There’s also a real-life connection to Henry VIII, as one of Ingilby’s many Sir Williams served the king in the 16th century; another served Elizabeth I, Anne Boleyn’s daughter.
Ripley village, which is owned by the estate, is a chocolate-box hamlet 5 miles north of Harrogate. Visitors following in the footsteps of Anne Boleyn can tour the castle, navigate the castle gardens around the lake, and even stay in the estate grounds at the Boar’s Head pub.
