THE stately home of King Henry VIII's last wife is closing for winter to carry out cleaning and recording work on its valuable possessions.

Studeley Castle and gardens, near Winchcombe, has royal connections stretching back more than 1,000 years and is the final resting place of Katherine Parr. It is the only private castle in England to have a queen buried within its grounds and Katherine's tomb rests in a 15th century church within the grounds.

The castle closes on November 2 when the conservation team will work through the exhibitions and the castle methodically throughout the winter to clean the delicate artefacts, record any significant changes in condition from the same time last year and prioritise items for special attention.

On closing, staff will begin to cover and store the costumed models, and the rare and valuable textiles on display - some of which are hundreds of years old - will be rested. Treasures date from ancient Roman times to the present day while other attractions include an owlery, pheasantry, adventure playground with picnic area, gift shop and café in the banqueting hall, set within an area spanning 1,200 acres.

Lady Ashcombe, who owns Sudeley Castle, said: “The 2014 season has been our best yet. We’ve hosted the Facial Reconstruction of Richard III, devised the Twenty Treasures trail and opened up even more of the castle’s private rooms to bring to life the colourful 1,000-year-old history of my charming home.

“The 2015 season looks set to be even more spectacular with many exciting plans in the pipeline and we can’t wait to thrill guests even more when we reopen in March.”