The home that's hosted royals, celebs and a battle

As a historic house that was a home for the nobility, it's perhaps unsurprising that Stapleford Park once hosted royals.

But it is maybe more surprising that a whole host of music royalty and other global celebrities have stayed at the sprawling Leicestershire estate over the years.

In addition, as a wedding venue, some stars have even tied the knot there.

But as the hotel went into liquidation in October, its future for both A-listers and the general public is now uncertain.

The Domesday Book states that there has been a house on the site of Stapleford Park since the 11th Century.

In the 1400s, the Grade I-listed country house was handed to Robert Sherard, whose family called the estate home for nearly 500 years.

From its beginnings, it was remodelled several times over the centuries, Historic England said, with extensions and an orangery added, its 500 acres of grounds shaped by landscaper Capability Brown, and St Mary Magdalene's Church built in the parkland in 1783.

Members of the Royal Family, including George VI and Edward VIII, are among those known to have visited.

In 1844, a battle was even fought on the grounds.

Railway engineer George Stephenson had mapped out a route for the Syston & Peterborough Railway, but problems arose when surveyors reached the estate of Lord Harborough, whose ancestral home of Stapleford Hall was nearby.

According to county council officials, the railway men tried to avoid causing offence by following the Oakham Canal towpath, but this made matters worse as Lord Harborough was a shareholder in the canal.

His servants and estate workers set about removing the surveyors by force, leading to days of fighting.

Melton local historian Brian Fare said: "There were rumours the earl brought some cannons out, but they weren't actually fired."

The railway ended up rerouted on a tight bend around the land - known as Lord Harborough's Curve.

A few decades later - and now under the stewardship of the Gretton family - the railway was eventually run through Stapleford Park.

Later members of the Gretton family embraced the railways, building the Stapleford Miniature Railway in 1958 as an attraction for the public, alongside a lion enclosure, steam boats and other attractions, a use which continued until 1982.

Two stuffed lions from Stapleford's menagerie had been kept at Melton Borough Council's offices after 1982 - but these were lost in a fire in 2008, according to Mr Fare.

Stapleford became famous for its railway associations, and Visit Leicester said that in 1965, Emma Peel was even tied to the tracks and rescued by English Gentleman spy John Steed during an episode of TV show The Avengers.

Mr Fare said: "It's been featured on several TV programmes. There was a metal plaque erected near the tunnel to commemorate The Avengers, but that was stolen and as far as I'm aware, it's never been recovered."

In 1988, the site was bought by fast food entrepreneur Bob Payton, who had masterminded chains including Chicago Pizza Pie Factory and Chicago Rib Shack.

He turned the site into a hotel, which over the years attracted a string of celebrities.

Michael Jackson, known as the King of Pop, attended a party at Stapleford Park in 2007, and his photo hung on the walls of the venue.

Other superstar visitors with portraits on display included the Duchess of York - Sarah Ferguson - Will Smith, David Beckham, Lionel Richie, Naomi Campbell and Mariah Carey.

And rockers Guns N' Roses stayed at Stapleford Park when headlining the nearby Download Festival in 2018.

Bassist Duff McKeegan even bought a ticket to ride the miniature railway, as his stay coincided with an open day, but he missed his slot as he was busy chatting to firefighters.

The site was also, in recent years, a popular wedding venue, and footballer Peter Crouch and model Abbey Clancy chose it for their ceremony and reception in 2011. Guests included ex-footballer and manager Wayne Rooney, and his wife Coleen, and actors David Walliams and Elizabeth Hurley.

But in October, Stapleford Park Hotel ceased trading with immediate effect and cancelled all its bookings, leaving those with weddings booked "flabbergasted".

Later in the month, it was confirmed that a total of 92 staff members had been made redundant with liquidators Leonard Curtis appointed, with the administrators saying the site's future is "uncertain at this stage".

"There's always been a close association between the town and Stapleford Park. It would be a waste for it not to be in use," Mr Fare added.

Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.