The monument is situated within the former medieval deer park of Bradgate, now a country park, north west of Leicester. It includes the ruins of a late 15th century mansion with formal garden earthworks and a watermill site and leat to the east.
The mansion was begun by Thomas Grey, the first Marquess of Dorset, in about 1490 and completed by the second Marquess in the early 16th century. There were considerable 17th century additions. Lady Jane Grey who was to become Queen of England was born here in 1537. The house withstood attack during the Civil War, when the Greys were a noted Parliamentarian family, but it was not badly damaged. There was a fire in 1694 but only the north west tower was affected. In 1696 William III visited the house. The house was abandoned in 1719 on the death of the first Earl of Stamford but stood complete until about 1740.
The house, together with Kirby Muxloe Castle, is one of the earliest brick buildings in the county. It is a Listed Building Grade II. It was built on a grand scale, the overall plan of the house and courtyard measuring 85m x 75m. The layout is U shaped in plan with a main block on the northern side containing the Great Hall, parlour, etc. and wings projecting southwards from each end to enclose an irregular courtyard. The east wing contained private apartments and the chapel, the latter being the only surviving roofed building, contains a monument to Henry Grey and his wife dated 1614. The west wing contained services including a kitchen and bakery of which the large fireplace and ovens can be seen. The west wing retains three towers, the two standing at the angles are polygonal and the intermediate one is rectangular in plan. A corresponding polygonal tower stands at the south eastern corner of the east wing. North of the main block is a large approximately square courtyard originally enclosed by buildings and walls.
To the east of the buildings is a formal garden known as the tilt yard which is a Listed Building Grade II and included in the scheduling. The area comprises a sunken area about 2m deep with brick revetted walls. The rectangular garden area measures 90m x 75m and is divided into four parts by walkways. On the north eastern and eastern sides of the formal garden is a leat, now dry, running south to the site of a former watermill situated on the south eastern corner of the site. The mill building was still standing in the mid 19th century and survives today as a below ground feature. The leat ran from a fishpond situated to the north which is much altered from its original profile and is thus not included in the scheduling. On the south side of the site is a substantial garden wall which is a Listed Building Grade II. All are included in the scheduling. The wall which is built of red brick probably dates from the early 16th century.