Over the centuries Leeds Castle has been a Norman fortress, a royal residence to six of England’s medieval Queens, a palace to Henry VIII and, subsequently, a private home until as recently as 1974. Lord Conway described Leeds Castle as ‘The Loveliest Castle in the World’.Today Leeds Castle has become a national treasure – faithfully restored and administered by the Leeds Castle Foundation. Inside, it is home to a fine collection of medieval furnishings, paintings and tapestries – a place where hundreds of years of history come to life.Dogs have always been present at Leeds Castle: hounds for hunting, gundogs, huge mastiffs to guard the gates, and lap dogs to grace the apartments of widowed queens. Lady Baillie herself, always had several dogs and it is therefore fitting that Leeds Castle should be home to this unique Museum housed in The Gatehouse. A unique collection of historic and fascinating dog collars has been built up over the years and is now the only one of its kind in Great Britain.