Eastnor Castle is to have a new chatelaine as James Hervey-Bathurst ann-ounces his forthcoming marriage to Miss Lucy Manners, the daughter of Lord and Lady Manners, of Knipton, Leicester-shire, a relative of the present Duke of Rutland of Belvoir Castle.

It will not be the first Herefordshire link for the Manners family, as the present Duchess of Rutland, Emma, is the daughter of John and Roma Watkins, formerly of Heartsease Farm, Knighton.

Since 1988, when Mr Hervey-Bathurst inherited Eastnor Castle on the death of his mother, the Hon Mrs Elizabeth Hervey-Bathurst, the castle has become one of Herefordshire's leading venues for both corporate and private events. It has played host to the BBC's Antiques Roadshow and the wedding of Big Brother presenter Davina McCall in 2000.

The 5,000-acre estate has also been used by Land Rover for more than 30 years to test and demonstrate its 4x4 vehicles.