England Historic Homes

Adlington Hall
Cheshire
North-west Counties
Mill Lane, 5.75 miles north of Macclesfield, off the A523
Tel. 01625 829 206
Open: Easter-end June, Sun, 2-5pm, check website for specific dates; also open some BH—check website; also for groups only other times of year
Historic Houses Association member; great hall built late 1400s in black and white brick wings added mid 1700s; 17th century organ; 18th century parkland; lime avenue; woodland paths; rose garden; maze; water garden; herbaceous borders; follies; tea-room; parking

Alfriston Clergy House
East and West Sussex
South-east Counties
The Tye, Alfriston, Polegate, East Sussex
Tel. 01323 870 001
Open: first week March, Sat and Sun, 11am-4pm; mid March-3rd week Oct, Mon, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun, 10am-5pm; last week Oct-3rd week Dec, Mon, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun, 11am-4pm
National Trust property; 14th century thatched hall house on village green; museum of domestic country furniture, kitchen equipment, needlework, and household items; cottage herb garden; use village car park

Althorp Hall
Northamptonshire
East Midlands
On the A428 between Rugby and Northampton
Tel. for booking and info: 0 1604 770 107; estate office: 0 1604 770 006
Open: (times are for 2015): 1pm to 5pm, last admission to house 3.45pm; last admission to stables and grounds 4pm; May: Sundays; June Sundays except 14th; July Sun, 12th, then from 18th-31st; Aug, daily noon-5pm; Sep, Sundays admittance to house according to booking, which is required; tickets may be purchased from the website when available; tours of the house are on offer.
Family home and gravesite of Diane, Princess of Wales; museum on her life; 19 rooms open; paintings; furniture; ceramic collection; shop; cafe; picnic area; parking
Web: Althorp Hall

Anglesey Abbey, Gardens, and Lode Mill
Cambridgeshire
Eastern Counties
Quy Rd, Lode, 6 miles north-east of Cambridge
Tel. 01223 810 080
Open: house, April-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 1-5pm (timed entry on Sun and BH Mon); garden, April-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 10.30am-5.30pm; Lode Mill, same as garden
National Trust property; Jacobean style house in grounds of 12th century priory; paintings; furniture; silver; tapestries; large collection of unusual clocks; formal and landscape gardens with over 100 pieces of sculpture; wildflower meadows; winter garden; 18th century watermill in working order; visitor centre; shop; restaurant; plant centre; parking

Antony House and Garden and Woodland Garden
Cornwall
South-west Counties
Torpoint
Tel. 01752 812 191
Open: house and garden, 3rd week March-end May and Sep-end Oct, Tue-Thu, 1.30-5.30pm; June-end Aug, Tue-Thu and Sun, 1.30-5.30pm; woodland garden, March-end oct, Tue-Thu, Sat, Sun, 11am-5.30pm
National Trust property (except woodland garden); 18th century mansion with collections of paintings, furniture and textiles; grounds landscaped by Repton; formal topiary garden; knot garden; sculptures; woodland garden with rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias, camellias; restaurant; parking

Apethorpe Hall
Northamptonshire
East Midlands
Apethorpe
Tel. 0 870 333 1181 (to book tour)
Open: July-end Aug, for special prebooked tours
English Heritage property; restored extensively with aim to be bought by individual with public visits allowed; originally built 1470, then extended; visited by Queen Elizabeth I and James I; Jacobean state rooms; great hall; long gallery; decorative plaster ceilings; ornate sculpted fireplaces; oak panelling; Grade II formal gardens; parkland; parking

Appuldurcombe House
Isle of Wight
South-east Counties
Isle of Wight off the B3327, .5 mile west of Wroxhall, two miles north of Ventnor
Tel. 01983 852 484
Open: April-end Sep, Sun-Fri, 10am-6pm; Oct end March, Sat and Sun, 10am-4pm
Parking; shop; disability access
English Heritage property; early 18th century baroque house now a ruin but with 1701 east front restored; park designed by 'Capability' Brown, now mostly farmland; exhibition; parking
See photos and more details in our article Appluldurcombe House

Arbury Hall
Warwickshire
West Midlands
Two miles from Nuneaton
Tel. 024 7638 2804
Open: house and gardens, some BH Sun and Mon, March, May, Aug, 1pm, close 6pm, guided house tours until 4.30pm; check website for specific dates; pre-booked visits for groups on April-end Sep; year round, Tue-Thu, for corporate events
Historic Houses Association member; 18th century early Gothic revival style house; Oriental and Chelsea porcelain; Chippendale furniture; portraits by Lely and Reynolds; lawns; lakes; gardens; woodland walks

Ardington House
Oxfordshire
South-east Counties
Ardington, 2 miles east of Wantage
Tel. 01235 821 566
Open: Aug-end Sep, Mon-Fri, house, 11am-2pm, with tour at 12.30pm, last admission 1pm
Historic Houses Association member; baroque family home with gardens; special events; parking
Web: Ardington House

Arley Hall and Gardens
Cheshire
North-west Counties
Arley, south of Stockport (near Great Budworth by Northwich)
Tel. 01565 777 353
Open: April-end Sep; gardens, chapel and grounds, Tue-Sun and BH, 11am-5pm; Oct, Sat and Sun, 11am-5pm; hall, Tue-Sun and BH, noon-5pm; Oct, Sun, noon-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; house dates from 1832-1845; ceilings, oak panelling, fireplaces; 8 acres of formal gardens; 7 acres of woodland garden and arboretum; shrub roses; walled gardens; lime avenue; kitchen garden; restaurant; shop; restaurant; plant nursery; special events; parking; picnic area
For photos and more information see our article Arley Hall and Gardens
Web: Arley Hall and Gardens

Arlington Court and Carriage Collection
Devon
South-west Counties
7 miles north-east of Barnstaple, on the east side of the A39
Tel. 01271 850 296
Open: house and carriage collection, mid March-end Oct, Sun-Fri, 11am-5pm; grounds and garden, mid March-end June and Sep-end Oct, Sun-Fri, 10.30am-5pm; July and Aug, daily, 10.30am-5pm; Nov-3rd week Dec, Fri-Sun, 11am-4pm
National Trust property; Regency house; estate; collection of 50 horse-drawn vehicles (rides on offer); wildlife: otters, bats owls and more; collections of past owner include model ships, tgapestries, shells; stable block with working horses; 30 acres of pleasure grounds include Victorian garden; walled kitchen garden; walks around estate; shop; tea-room; parking; special events

Ascott House
Buckinghamshire
South-east Counties
Wing, 2 miles south-west of Leighton Buzzard
Tel. 01296 688 242
Open: April-May, Aug-mid Sep, Tue-Sun, 2-6pm; June-July, Tue-Thu, 2-6pm; also open BH Mon
National Trust property; collection of paintings, English and French furniture, and 400 pieces of Chinese ceramics; formal and natural gardens; specimen trees and shrubs; herbaceous walk; lily pond; sunken garden; Dutch garden; topiary sundial; parking
Web: Ascott Estate

Ashdown House
Berkshire
South-east Counties
Lambourne, Newbury, on the B4000, south-east of Swindon
Tel. 01793 762 209 or 01793 755 569 (infoline)
Open: house and garden, April-end Oct, Wed and Sun, 2-5pm; woodland all year, dawn-dusk, Sat-Thu
National Trust property; 17th century house assoicated with Elizabeth of Bohemia, Charle I’s sister; great staircase; paintings; views from roof; countryside; walks in nearby Ashdown woods; parking

Athelhampton House
Dorset
South-west Counties
Puddletown Northbrook junction, on the A35, 5 miles north-east of Dorchester
Tel. 0 1305 848 363
Open: April-end Oct, Sun-Thu; Nov-Feb, 11am-5pm; tea-room opens 10.30am
Historic Houses Association member; 15th century domestic architecture; many interesting features; extensive garden and grounds; restaurant, shop; self-catering accommodation
For photos and more details see our article Athelhampton
Web: Athelhampton House

Attingham Park
Shropshire
West Midlands
Atcham village, four miles from Shrewsbury
Tel. 0 1743 708 123 (infoline)
Open: park and shop: mid Feb-end Oct, daily 9am-6pm; Nov-mid Feb, daily 9am-5pm; house, mid March-end Oct, Thu-Tue, 1-5.30pm; tea-room same dates as house but various times—see NT website for full opening details and house tour times
National Trust property; late 18th century mansion with Regency interiors and deer park landscaped by Repton; Regency furniture; paintings; large silver collection; woodland walks; tea-room; shop; plant sales; parking

Aubourn Hall
Lincolnshire
East Midlands
Abourn, 7 miles south-west of city of Lincoln
Tel. 01522 788 224
Open: closed except for charity days; phone for dates
17th century house with staircase and panelled rooms; 10 acre garden with herbaceous borders, shrubs, ponds; walks

Audley End House and Gardens
Essex
Eastern Counties
Audley End, one mile south of Saffren Walden on the B1383 (M11 exits 8, northbound only or 10)
Tel. 01799 522 399 (infoline)
Open: house: April-end Sep, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm, except until 3.30pm on Sat; Oct and March, Wed-Sun, 11am-4pm. Gardens and service wing: April-end Sep, Wed-Sun, 10am-6pm; Oct and March, Wed-Sun, 10am-5pm; Nov-3rd week Dec-Feb, Wed-Sun, 10am-4pm
English Heritage property; built in the 1600s on the scale of a royal palace, reduced in size over the years; 1750s+ suite of reception rooms; historic picture collection and furniture; hall with Jacobean screen and ceiling; service/kitchen wing of house on show; restored 17th century stables; Victorian kitchen garden; vine house; lake; garden buildings include classical temple; formal parterre garden; landscaped park by 'Capability' Brown; restaurant; organic garden shop; parking; picnic area

Avebury Manor and Garden
Wiltshire
South-west Counties
Avebury, near Marlborough
Tel. 01672 539 250
Open: garden, April-end Oct, Fri-Tue, 11am-5pm; house, April-end Oct, Sun-Tue, 2-4.40pm, by guided tour only, purchase tickets ahead as limited number issued
National Trust property; 16th century manor house with Queen Anne and Edwardian renovations; redesigned Edwardian garden; topiary; clipped box hedges; flowers; shop in old granary; vegetarian restaurant; pay and display car park

Avington Park
Hampshire
South-east Counties
Itchen Abbas, near Winchester
Tel. 01962 779 260
Open: May-end Aug, Sun and BH Mon, 2.30-5.30pm plus Mons in Aug
Historic Houses Association member; Georgian house dates from 11th century; state rooms include ballroom and dining room; gardens; parkland; lake; lime tree avenue; fountains and statues; parking
Web: Avington Park

Baddesley Clinton
Warwickshire
West Midlands
Rising Lane, Baddesley Clinton, Knowle (by Packwood House)
Tel. 0 1564 783 294
Open: house, grounds, shop and restaurant: 2nd week Feb-end Oct, Wed-Sun, first 3 weeks April, first week June, last week July-1st week Sep, last week Oct, daily, 11am-5pm; house: also Christmas week, Wed-Sun, 11am-4pm (by timed ticket on the day); grounds, shop and restaurant also, Nov-3rd week Dec, Wed-Sun, 11am-4pm
National Trust property; 15th century moated house preserved almost intact since 1633; three priests' holes; yew garden; walks; lake; shop; restaurant; parking

Basildon Park
Berkshire
South-east Counties
Lower Basildon, Reading
Tel. 0118 984 3040
Open: house, mid March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, noon-5pm; a few days in Dec (check NT website), Wed-Sun, noon-4pm; grounds and restaurant, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm; shop same days, times vary
National Trust property; 18th century Palladian mansion with plasterwork and staircase, furniture and paintings; 19th century pleasure grounds, parkland with woodland walks; picnic area; restaurant; parking

Bateman’s
East and West Sussex
South-east Counties
One-half mile south of Burwash, Etchingham, East Sussex
Tel. 01435 882 302
Open: house, mid March-end Oct, Mon, Tue, Wed, Sat, Sun, 11am-5pm; garden, tea-room and shop, first week March, Sat and Sun, 11am-4pm; mid March-end Oct, Mon, Tue, Wed, Sat, Sun, 11am-5pm; Nov-3rd week Dec, Wed-Sun, 11am-4pm
National Trust property; 17th century Jacobean house; home of author Ruyard Kipling from 1902-1936; oriental rugs and artefacts; grounds with watermill; roses, wild flowers; virtual tour, information sheets; shop; tea-room; estate walks; parking

Beaulieu
Hampshire
South-east Counties
Beaulieu, New Forest
Tel. 0 1590 612 345
Open: June-end Sep, daily, 10am-6pm; Oct-end May, daily, 10am-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; 7500 acre estate; house is former 14th century abbey gatehouse; family portraits and memorabilia; abbey ruins; "Victorian" gardens; "wilderness" walk; millpond walk; National Motor Museum in the grounds; special events; shop; parking
Web: Beaulieu

Belgrave Hall and Gardens
Leicestershire
East Midlands
Church Road, Belgrave, off Thurcaston Road; 2 miles from city centre
Tel. 0116 266 6590
Open: Feb-Oct, Sat-Wed, 11am–4.30pm, Sun, 1-4.30pm; daily during school holidays except Christmas holidays
Two acre walled garden with monuments and statues; hall with Victorian period room settings; community gallery tells the story of the Belgrave neighbourhood over the last 50 years; street parking available, accessible parking, limited wheelchair access inside building, guide dogs welcome

Belmont House
Kent
South-east Counties
Belmont House
Four miles south of Faversham, Kent; junction 6 of M2
Tel. 01795 890 202
Open: house by tour only: April-end Sep; Wed tours 11am and 1pm; Sat tours 2:15, 3:15; Sun and BH Mon tours 2:15, 3:00 & 3:45pm; gardens: year round, daily, 10am-6pm or dusk, whichever is earlier; clock tour last Sat month by reservation from website
Historic Houses Association member; 18th century Georgian house designed by architect Samuel Wyatt; surrounded by country parkland; kitchen garden; large collection of clocks; tea-room; parking
Website: Belmont House
For more information and photos see our feature at For more information and photos see our feature at Belmont House and Gardens

Belton House
Lincolnshire
East Midlands
Three miles north-east of Grantham
Tel. 01476 566 116
Open: house and church, 2nd week March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 12.30-5pm; garden/park/shop/restaurant, Jan-end Feb, daily, 10.30am-4pm; March-end Oct, daily, 9.30am-5.30pm; Nov-end Dec, daily, 9.30am-4pm; adventure playground, March-end Oct, daily, 9.30am-5.30pm
National Trust property; late 17th century Restoration home; 8 rooms on display from 17th century, Regency, Voctorian and 1930s times; Grinling Gibbons wood carvings; furniture; paintings; tapestries; chapel; formal gardens; orangery; lakeside walks; restaurant; shop; parking; restored boathouse; adventure playground
For full details and photos see our article Belton House

Beningbrough Hall and Gardens
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Beningbrough, York, 3 miles west of Shipton
Tel. 01904 472 027
Open: grounds, shop, restaurant: a few days in Feb (check NT website for exact dates); March-end June, Sep-Oct, Sat-Wed, 11am-5.30pm; July-Aug, Fri-Wed, 11am-5.30pm; Nov-3rd week Dec and second week Jan-end Jan, Sat and Sun, 11am-3.30pm; house, Sep-Oct and March-end June, Sat-Wed, noon-5pm; July-end Aug, Fri-Wed, noon-5pm; galleries open weekends year round
National Trust property; 1716 house with National Portrait Gallery paintings; interactive galleries; Victorian laundry; walled garden; parkland; wilderness play area; shop; restaurant; audio guides for house; parking

Benjamin Franklin House
London
Greater London
36 Craven St
Tel. 020 7839 2006
Open: noon-5pm, Wed-Sun; book tickets online
1730 Grade I listed London home of American statesman Benjamin; rooms used for historical drama presentation to visitors; research facilities; shop
Web: Benjamin Franklin House

Benthall Hall
Shropshire
West Midlands
Broseley, Shropshire
Tel. 01952 882 159
Open: April-end June, 2-5.30pm, Tue and Wed; July-end Sep, 2-5.30pm, Tue, Wed, Sat
National Trust property; 16th century stone house with mullioned windows, carved oak staircase, decorated plaster ceilings, oak panelling; restored plantsman’s garden; old kitchen garden; Restoration church (services alternate Sundays); parking

Berrington Hall
Herefordshire
West Midlands
Three miles north of Leominster, off the A49
Tel. 01568 615 721
Open: house: mid Feb-end Oct, daily, 10am-5pm; Nov-3rd week Dec, and 2nd week Jan-1st week Feb, weekends 10am-4pm; other hours during Christmas holidays—check NT website for full details.
National Trust property; late 18th century house; staircase hall; nursery; Victorian laundry; Georgian dairy; costume collection; Minton china collection; painted ceilings; furniture; paintings; walled orchard with 43 different types of historic apple trees; parkland designed by 'Capability Brown'; house and below stairs tours; shop; plant sales; tea-room; parking

Bessie Surtees House
Tyne and Wear (Tyneside)
North-east Counties
41-44 Sandhill, Newcastle
Tel. 0191 2691200
Open: year round, weekdays, 10am-4pm
English Heritage property; two five storey 16/17th century merchant houses on quayside; Jacobean domestic architecture; 3 rooms open for viewing; exhibition on the houses

Birthplace House of Octavia Hill
Cambridgeshire
Eastern Counties
8 South Brink, Wisbech
Tel. 0 1945 476 358
Open: mid March-end Oct, Mon-Wed, Sat and Sun, 1-4.30pm
National Trust property; birthplace of Octavia Hill, a founding member of the National Trust and Victorian housing reformer; displays

Blenheim Palace
Oxfordshire
South-east Counties
Woodstock
Tel. 08700 60 20 80
Open: mid Feb-end Oct, daily, palace from 10.30am-5.30pm, formal gardens from 10am-5.30pm; Nov-Dec, Wed-Sun, 10.30am-5.30pm, formal gardens from 10am-5.30pm. park, year round daily (except 25 Dec), 9am-5.30pm
Historic Houses Association member; baroque palace birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill and a World Heritage site; built 1705-1722 for first Duke of Marlborough; 2100 acres of parkland landscaped by 'Capability Brown'; pleasure gardens; playground; lake; state rooms; Churchill memorabilia; porcelain collections; tapestries; paintings; shop; parking; restaurant; special events
Web: Blenheim Palace

Blickling Hall
Norfolk
Eastern Counties
Blickling, Norwich, 1.5 miles north-west of Aylsham
Tel. 01263 738 030
Open: house: mid Feb for one week, daily, 11am-3.30pm; first two weeks March, weekends, 11am-3pm; mid March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, noon-5pm; 2nd week Nov-end Nov, weekends, 11am-2pm, second week December-21 Dec, weekends, 11am-5pm; park, year round, daily, dawn-dusk; garden, shop, cafes: first week Jan, Thu-Mon, 10.15 am-4pm; rest Jan-mid Feb, Thu-Sun, 10..15-3pm; mid Feb-end Oct, daily, 10.15am-5.30pm; Nov-21 Dec, Thu-Sun, 10.15 am-4pm
National Trust property; Jacobean house, part 16th century, altered in the 17th; plasterwork ceilings; long gallery with rare book collection; Mortlake tapestries; furniture; paintings; kitchen and service areas; trees and lawns; spring bulbs and bluebells; summer borders; 18th century orangery; woodland dell; lakeside walks; restaurant; special events; shop; plant sales; parking
For full details and photos see our article Blickling Hall

Boscobel House and the Royal Oak
Shropshire
West Midlands
Minor road between A41 and A5, 8 miles north-west of Wolverhampton
Tel. 01902 850 224
Open: April-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 10am-5pm; house by tour only
English Heritage property; 17th century hunting lodge with Royal Oak tree (where Charles II hid from Cromwell) in the grounds; AV presentation and exhibition on the history; priest hole; farmyard; smithy; dairy; shop; parking

Boughton House
Northamptonshire
East Midlands
Three miles north-east of Kettering on A43 junction
Tel. 01536 515 731
Open: house, Aug, daily, 1pm-5pm, by guided tour only (last tour at 3.30pm); gardens, cafe and shop open daily, noon-5pm, last entry 4pm
Historic Houses Association member; seven courtyards; 17th and 18th century furniture; tapestries; porcelain; painted ceilings; fine art; armoury; parkland; lakes; woods; tree avenues; parking; garden and plant centre; shop; special events
Web: Boughton House

Bowood House and Gardens
Wiltshire
South-west Counties
Calne, off the A342
Tel. 01249 812 102
Open: April-end Oct, house, 11am-5.30pm, grounds, 11am-6pm
Historic Houses Association member; 18th century interiors; chapel; orangery; library; sculpture gallery; furniture; porcelain; paintings; terrace gardens; arboretum; lake; rhododendron walks; coffee shop; restaurant (Sun only)
Web: Bowood House

Bramall Hall
Cheshire
North-west Counties
Bramall Park, Bramhall, Stockport
Tel. 0161 485 3708
Open: park, year round; house closed until spring 2016; normally open April-end Oct, Sun, Tue-Thu, 1-5pm; Fri and Sat, 1-4pm; BH, 11am-5pm; Nov-end March, Sat and Sun, 1-4pm , BH, 11am-4pm
black and white timber framed 14th century house set in 70 acres landscaped in 'Capability' Brown style; rebuilt by Victorians; plasterwork; roof timbers; furniture; wall paintings; woodland walks; lakes; parking; shop; tea-room; servant quarters; special events
Web: Bramall Hall

Brantwood House and Gardens
Cumbria
North-west Counties
Coniston
On Coniston Lake, reached by road or by the National Trust Steam Gondola (April-Oct)
Tel. 0 15394 41396
Open: mid March-end Nov, daily, 10.30am-5:30pm; Nov-mid March, Wed-Sun, 10.30am-4pm; open all week Feb Half Term holiday; closed 25/26 Dec
250 acre estate on shore of Coniston Lake; House belonged to Victorian painter, poet, and social commentator, John Ruskin; 30 acres of gardens fashioned by him in the 'natural' manner; Linton Fern Garden has 270 British ferns planted beneath oak trees; medieval style garden with native herbs; 'Professor's Garden', an experimental cottage flower and fruit collection with a bee house; bulbs; woodland and pasture walks; in the house are furniture, a collection of paintings, books, and other personal possessions of Ruskin; film about his life; craft gallery; exhibitions; restaurant; limited parking
Web: Brantwood
See also Ruskin Museum

Breamore House and Countryside Museum
Hampshire
South-east Counties
near Fordingbridge
Tel. 0 1725 512 858
Open: April: Tue, Sun and Easter weekend; May-Sep, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun and BH; Oct, Tue and Sun; house by guided tour 2-5pm, last tour at 4pm; museum 1-5.30pm; tea barn, noon-5.30pm
Elizabethan manor house and Countryside Museum (collections of agricultural and trade tools covering 10 generations); house furnished with period furniture, paintings, tapestries, porcelain and 17th century needlework; parking; special events; wedding venue
Web: Breamore House and Countryside Museum

Broadlands
Hampshire
South-east Counties
Romsey, on A3090 Romsey by-pass
Tel. 01794 505 010
Open: July-Aug, Mon-Fri, 1-5pm, house by guided tour only
Mid Georgian architecture turned into Palladian mansion supervised by 'Capability Brown'; former home of Lord Mountbatten and Victorian prime minister Lord Palmerston; parkland with river Test; small shop; parking
For photos and more information see our article Broadlands
Web: Broadlands

Brockhampton Estate and Lower Brockhampton
Herefordshire
West Midlands
Greenfields, Bringsty
Two miles east of Bromyard, off the A44
Tel. 01885 488 099 (info line); 01885 482077
Open: estate open daily year round during daylight hours; house open March-mid March weekends, noon-4pm; mid March-end March, Wed-Sun, noon-4pm; April-end Sep, Wed-Sun, noon-5pm; Oct, noon-4pm, Wed-Sun; BH Mon, noon-5pm
National Trust property; 1000 acres of farmland and 700 acres of woodland with walks, ruined chapel, wildlife, woodland sculptures; black and white gatehouse; 14th century moated manor house with medieval great hall, minstrel’s gallery; picnic area; tea-room

Brodsworth Hall and Gardens
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Brodsworth, 5 miles north-west of Doncaster
Tel. info line 0 1302 724 969; office 0 1302 722 598
Open: house, April-end Oct, daily, and BH, 11am-5pm; gardens/tea-room/shop/servants' wing, April-end Sep, daily, 10am-6pm; Nov-first week Feb, daily, 10am-4pm; second week Feb-end March, check EH website
English Heritage property; Victorian family home untouched since then; crystal chandeliers, drawing rooms, kitchen wing; Victorian grand gardens in miniature with summerhouse and historic rose collection; pet cemetery; spring snowdrops; laburnum arch; summer bedding; winter evergreens; alpine garden; work and play exhibition; kitchen and servant's wing; tea-room, shop; parking; special events
For more information see our article Historic Homes of South and West Yorkshire

Browsholme Hall
Lancashire
North-west Counties
Forest of Bowland, 4 miles north-west of Clitheroe
Tel. 01254 826 719
Open: May-Sep, Wed, 11.30am-4pm, spring BH, first Sun month in May and June; check website for exact dates
Historic Houses Association member; library; drawing room; dining room; collections of oak furniture, portraits, arms and armour, and other antiquities
Web: Browsholme Hall

Buckingham Palace
London
Greater London
Tel. 020 7766 7300 for ticket sales and information
Open: daily, 9.45am–6pm, end July-end Sep by timed ticket only
The Queen's official residence in London
For photos and more details see our article Buckingham Palace
Web: Buckingham Palace

Burghley House
Lincolnshire
East Midlands
Stamford, on the B1443
Tel. 01780 752 451
Open: April-Oct, daily, 11am-5pm; park year round
Historic Houses Association member; Elaborate Elizabeth mansion; paintings; porcelain; furniture; state apartments; ceilings; famous Heaven and Hell rooms; 1300 acre park landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown; deer; walks; contemporary sculpture garden; hidden garden inside yew hedge; shop; restaurant; parking
Web: Burghley House

Burton Agnes Hall and Garden
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Driffield, off the A614 near Bridlington
Tel. 0 1262 490 324
Open: April-end Oct, daily, 11am-5pm; gardens also open some days in Feb, Nov, and Dec
Historic Houses Association member; manor house in the grounds is English Heritage property; Burton Agnes is Tudor/Jacobean house, little altered; great hall; plasterwork; 17th century furniture; tea-room; English Heritage medieval manor house in grounds has Norman undercroft and 15th century roof; maze; 4000 species of plants; jungle garden; giant board games; village church; cafe; shop; parking; special events
For more information see our article Historic Homes of North Yorkshire
Web: Burton Agnes Hall

Burton Constable Hall
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Near Sproatley off B1238
Tel. 01964 562 400
Open: Easter Sat-end Oct, Sat-Thu, grounds and tearoom, 12.30-5pm; house, 1-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; Elizabethan mansion with 30 rooms by guided tour include great hall, drawing room, dining room, long gallery, furniture, paintings, sculpture, books; 300 acre park and pleasure grounds with orangery, stables; tea-room; shop; parking
Web: Burton Constable Hall

Burton Court
Herefordshire
West Midlands
Five miles west of Leominster, Herefordshire
Tel. 0 1544 388 222
Open: by appointment for groups of 12 or more; guided tours by owner Edward Simpson
Historic Houses Association member; Georgian and Victorian manor house; 14th century great hall with timber roof and Cromwellian overmantel of 1654; tour includes architecture, social history, antiques, archaeological mound, parkland, and gardens restored in the Victorian and Edwardian tradition; garden borders influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement; parking
Web: Burton Court

Buscot Park
Oxfordshire
South-east Counties
Between Lechlade and Faringdon, on the A417
Tel. 0845 345 3387 (infoline)
Open: April-end Sep, 2-6pm; some days grounds only, others house and grounds; check website for date details
National Trust property; late 18th century Palladian house; hall; furniture collection; dining room; drawing room; sitting room; Faringdon picture collection has paintings by Rembrandt, Reynolds, Rubens, van Dyck and others; water garden; walled garden; flowering trees; parkland; woodland; pleasure gardens; tea-room; events; parking
Web: Buscot Park

Caerhays Castle and Gardens
Cornwall
South-west Counties
Caerhays, Gorran, St Austell
Tel. 01872 501 310
Open: booking recommended for house tours; 2nd week March-end May, Mon-Fri, noon-4pm with last tour at 3pm; gardens, mid Feb-end May, daily, 10am-5pm
Historic Houses Association property; English Heritage grade I listed building built by John Nash, 1807-1810; parkland; 100 acre woodland gardens are English Heritage grade II listed; gardens best in spring; shop; tea-room; parking at Porthluney Beach
Web: Caerhays Castle

Calke Abbey
Derbyshire
East Midlands
Ticknall, on the A514
Tel. 01332 863 822
Open: house and garden, March-end Oct, Sat-Wed, 11am-5pm; garden also open daily, July-end first weekend Sep; restaurant and shop, year round except closed in Feb, daily, 10.30am-5pm except till 4pm Nov-end Jan; timed tickets at busy times; park and nature reserve, daily, year round, dawn-dusk
National Trust property; “frozen in time” baroque mansion built 1701-4, then declined; interior, contents and collections of Harpur Crewe family intact from 1880s; 18th century state bed; cellars; servant tunnel; stableyard; open parkland; walled garden; kitchen garden; orangery; physic garden; garden buildings; museum room; virtual tour; parking (charge but refunded on admission to property); shop; restaurant; plant sales; special events; children's play area

Canons Ashby
Northamptonshire
East Midlands
South-west Northampton and south of Daventry on minor road
Tel. 01327 861900
Open: Sat-Wed; house, taster tours of house at 11.20am, but otherwise not open till 1pm on Mon,Tue, Wed, Sat, Sun; gardens, park, shop, tea-room and church from 11am-5.30pm same days
National Trust property; parking
For full details and photos see our feature at Canons Ashby Manor House

Capesthorne Hall
Cheshire
North-west Counties
Sidddington, 5 miles west of Macclesfield
Tel. 01625 861 221
Open: April-end Oct, Sun, Mon, and BH, hall from 1.30-4pm, gardens and chapel from noon-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; built early 1700s in Jacobean style; state bedroom; drawing room; saloon; antique Dutch furniture; paintings; tapestries; marble sculptures; 100 acres of parkland, gardens, 18th century plants; lakes; Georgian family chapel; parking; tea-room
Web: Capesthorne Hall

Carnfield Hall
Derbyshire
East Midlands
Alfreton, on the B6019
Tel. 01773 520 084
Open: by appointment; guided tours by owner J. B. Cartland
Restored 15th century great parlour, Jacobean staircase, antique porcelain, and glass; many fascinating family collections; for photos and full details see our article Manor House Mayhem

Castle Howard
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Castle Howard estate, near Coneysthorpe village, or signposted off the A64
Tel. 01653 648 444
Open: house: March-end Oct, and first 3 weeks Dec, 11am-4pm; gardens and playground: daily all year except 25 Dec, 10am-6.30 (dusk in winter); stable courtyard shops, daily all year, 10am-5pm
British Treasure House started 1699 and took 100 years to finish; staterooms destroyed by fire; bedrooms; library; halls; entry with 80 foot high dome; lakes; fountains; Atlas statue; bridge; mausoleum; Temple of the 4 winds; walled garden; woodland; seasonal displays; Brideshead Revisited filmed here; restaurant; shops; farm shop; plant centre; parking; adventure playground; exhibitions; events
For more information see our article Historic Homes of North Yorkshire
Web: Castle Howard

Catton Hall
Derbyshire
East Midlands
Catton, Walton on Trent, Swadlincote
Tel. 01283 716 311
Open: April-mid Oct, Mon only, 2pm (phone first to confirm)
Historic Houses Association member; built in 1745; collection of pictures, furniture and memorabilia; private chapel; gardens; camping, fishing, cycle and horse riding for groups by prior arrangement.
Web: Catton Hall

Charlecote Park
Warwickshire
West Midlands
One mile from Wellesbourne, five miles east of Stratford-upon-Avon
Tel. 0 1789 470 277
Open: park and gardens: Feb-end Oct, daily, 10.30am-6pm; Nov-end Jan, Thu-Tue, 10.30am-4pm; house: Feb-end Oct, Fri-Tue, noon-5pm; Nov-3rd week Dec, Sat and Sun, noon-4pm
National Trust property; Tudor house and landscape deer park; stonework; chimneys; video on Victorian life; kitchen; brewhouse; coach house; bedrooms; formal gardens landscaped by 'Capability Brown'; parkland with trails; shop; restaurant; parking

Charleston
East and West Sussex
South-east Counties
Charleston, 6 miles east of Lewes near Firle, East Sussex
Tel. 0 1323 811 265
Open: house, garden, April-end Oct, Wed-Sat and BH, 1-6pm; July-Aug and Sept, Wed-Sat, noon-6pm (last entry 5pm); Sun and BH Mon, 1-5.30pm, last entry 4.30pm; shop, ticket office and cafe open 1 hour before house; entry is by guided tour only on Wed-Sat; tours last for one hour and leave approximately every 20 minutes; Sun and BH Mon house open but unguided
Home and garden of the Bloomsbury set and Virginia Woolf’s sister
See photos and full details in our article Charleston
Web: Charleston

Chartwell
Kent
South-east Counties
Mapleton Rd, 2 miles south of Westerham, off the B2026
Tel. 01732 866 368 (infoline)
Open: house and garden, mid March-end June, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm; July-end Aug, and Sep-end Oct, Tue-Sun, 11am-5pm; house by timed ticket only, purchase on arrival; restaurant and shop open similar hours
National Trust property; family home of Sir Winston Churchill; memorabilia and personal possessions; Churchill's studio in the garden; restaurant; rose garden; kitchen garden; water gardens; lake; pay and display car park; shop

Chastleton House
Oxfordshire
South-east Counties
Chastleton, near Moreton-in-Marsh, off the A436
Tel. 01608 674 355; 01494 755 560 (infoline); 01608 674 981 (booking line for tickets)
Open: April-end Sep, Wed-Sat, 1-5pm; Oct, Wed-Sat, 1-4pm; timed ticket, booked in advance only between Tue-Fri, 9.30am-2.30pm
National Trust property; almost complete Jacobean house, continually occupied; Jacobean layout to gardens; topiary; furniture; textiles; parking; narrow access roads

Chatsworth
Derbyshire
East Midlands
Three miles east of Bakewell, off the B6012
Tel. 01246 565 300
Open: April-3rd week Dec; house, 11am-5.30 pm, last admission 4.30pm; garden from 11am-6pm, last admission 5pm; gardens open 10.30am in June, July and Aug; farmyard and adventure playground, 10.30am-5.30pm, last admission 4.30pm; shops, 11am-5.30pm; restaurant, 10.15am-5pm; park open all year
One of Britain’s Treasure Houses, home of Dukes of Devonshire since 1552; 26 elaborate rooms with painted ceilings, library, sculptures, paintings, gilding, marble, furniture, gold and silver plate; 1000 acres of parkland with 105 acres of gardens, water cascade, canal pond with tallest gravity-fed fountain in the world, maze, rose garden, rock garden, arboretum; farmyard; shop; playground; restaurant; for photos and full details see our article Chatsworth
Web: Chatsworth

Chavenage
Gloucestershire
South-west Counties
1.25 miles north-west of Tetbury between B4014 and A4135
Tel. 0 1666 502 329
Open: May-end Sep, 2-5pm, last tour 4.30pm; also BH, Easter Sunday and BH Mondays
Historic Houses Association member; Elizabethan house; Cromwell bedroom; connections with historic figures-- Roundheads launched their attacks from the house 350 years ago; oak room; house said to have many ghosts; Candelford TV drama filmed here
Web: Chavenage

Chenies Manor House and Gardens
Buckinghamshire
South-east Counties
Chenies
North of A404 between Amersham and Rickmansworth
Tel. 0 1494 762 888
Open: April-end Oct, Wed, Thu and BH Mon, 2-5pm; also open one Sun in July for plant fair and other days for art exhibitions; guided tours of the house
HHA member; Garden of the year award from HHA/Christie’s, includes rose garden, sunken garden, white garden, physic garden, yew maze, kitchen garden; Grade I listed Tudor manor house in estate village; visited by Henry VIII and Elizabeth I; 22 brick chimneys; shop; tea-room; parking in estate village; St Michael church in the village dates from late 15th/early 16th centuries
Web: Chenies Manor House and Gardens

Cherryburn, the Engraver’s House
Northumberland
North-east Counties
Station Bank, Mickley, near Stocksfield
Tel. 0 1661 843 276
Open: mid March-end Oct, 11am-5pm, every day except Wed
National Trust property; 18th century home of Thomas Bewick, famous wildlife engraver; early 19th century presses and printers’s type-racks on site; 18th century farmhouse has exhibition; shop; special events; refreshments; parking

Chiddingstone Castle
Kent
South-east Counties
Four miles from Edenbridge near Bough Beech Tel. 01892 870 347
Open: June-Sep, Thu, Fri and Sun, 2-5.30pm weekdays; 11.30am-5.30pm, Sun and BH
Historic Houses Association member; fantasy castle of old and 19th century styles; walks in landscaped park; parking

Chillington Hall
Staffordshire
West Midlands
Codsall Wood, Wolverhampton
Tel. 01902 850 236
Open: July, Sun, 2-5pm; Aug, Wed-Fri and Sun, 2-5pm; Easter, May, and Aug BH Sun and Mon, 2-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; 18th century Georgian home; interior by John Soane; morning room; dining room; drawing room; 1100 acres of park designed by 'Capability Brown'; oak tree avenue; follies; lake, canal; bridges; walks; woodland; picnic area; parking
Web: Chillington Hall

Clandon Park
Surrey
South-east Counties
West Clandon, on the A246 Leatherhead to Guilford road
Tel. 01483 222 482
Open: house is closed due to major fire gutting it on 29 April, 2015
National Trust property; Palladian mansion; white marble hall; had collection of 18th century porcelain, tapestries, and furniture destroyed in the fire; sunken Dutch garden; grotto; restaurant; parking
(Note: Hatchlands is a sister property 5 minutes from Clandon Park)

Clarke Hall
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Aberford Rd, Wakefield
Tel. 0 1924 302 700
Open: designated times during open day events; phone for details
Late 17th century gentleman farmer’s house; kitchen; dairy; loom shop; dining room; great chamber; gardens with small maze and knot garden; orchard; educational resource for schools; living history open days; special events; exhibits and displays related to the hall’s history

Claydon House
Buckinghamshire
South-east Counties
Middle Claydon, 13 miles north-west of Aylesbury
Tel. 01296 730 349; 01494 755 561 (infoline)
Open: end March-end Oct, Sat-Wed, 1-5pm; grounds, noon-6pm
National Trust property; 18th century interiors; wood carving; Chinese room; grand staircase; regularly visited by Florence Nightingale; 52 acres parkland; lakeside walks; workshops and galleries in courtyard; tea-room; private gardens (additional charge) restaurant; parking

Clevedon Court
Somerset
South-west Counties
Tickenham Road, Clevedon
Tel. 01275 872 257
Open: April-end Sep, Wed, Thu, Sun and BH Mon, 2-5pm
National Trust property; 14th century manor house; terraced garden; collection of Nailsea glass; parking; tea-shop

Cobham Hall
Kent
South-east Counties
By the A2/M2 west of Strood
Tel. 01474 823 371
Open: National Garden scheme, 2-5pm; daffodil weekend; other dates in March-Aug; check website for details as change yearly
Historic Houses Association member; now a private girls’ school; mix of styles from Elizabethan times; shop; cream teas
Web: Cobham Hall

Corsham Court
Wiltshire
South-west Counties
Signposted from the A4, four miles west of Chippenham
Tel. 0 1249 712 214
Open: 3rd week March-end Sep, daily except Mon and Fri, 2-5.30pm; Oct-March, weekends only, 2-4.30pm; closed Dec
Historic Houses Association member; 1582 house added to and changed over centuries; Chippendale furniture; Adams mirrors; art collection; landscape by 'Capability Brown'; 17 acres formal gardens; herbaceous borders; box hedging; magnolias; flowering bulbs; 18 acre arboretum
Web: Corsham Court

Cotehele House
Cornwall
South-west Counties
St. Dominick, Saltash
Tel. 01579 351 346
Open: house, mid March-end Oct, Sat-Thu, 11am-4.30pm; garden, year round, 10am-dusk; restaurant, shop, gallery, mid Feb-3rd week Dec, daily, 11am-4/5pm
National Trust property; Tudor house with collections of textiles, armour, and old oak furniture; formally planted terraces; valley garden; medieval stewpond; dovecote; 18th century folly tower; quay on river with restored Tamar sailing barge; orchard; woodland walks; gallery with contemporary art for sale; restaurant; tea-room; shop; plants sales; parking

Cothay Manor
Somerset
South-west Counties
Greenham, near Wellington
Tel. 0 1823 672 283
Open: gardens: 1st Sun in April-end Sep, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun, and BH, 11am-last entry 4.30pm; house: groups by appointment and two tours on Sun for individuals 11.45am and 2.15pm; see website for winter booking details
15th century medieval manor; gatehouse; great chamber; wall paintings; stained glass; oak panelling; period furniture; 12 acres of gardens include rose garden, bog garden, azaleas, trees, river walk, tulips; tea-room; plant sales; special events; wedding receptions; conference venue; parking
Web: Cothay Manor

Cottesbrooke Hall and Gardens
Northamptonshire
East Midlands
Ten miles north of Northampton
on the A5199 near Brixworth and Kelmarsh between Rugby and Kettering, off the A14
Tel. 01604 505 808
Open: May and June, Wed and Thu, 2-5.30pm; July, Aug, and Sep, Thu, 2-5.30pm; also open BH Mon, 2-5.30pm
Historic Houses Association member; 1702 house; famous picture collection; furniture; porcelain; 18th century landscaped gardens; herbaceous borders; water gardens; specimen trees; wild gardens; parking; special events; tea-room
Web: Cottesbrooke Hall and Gardens

Coughton Court and Gardens
Warwickshire
West Midlands
Two miles north of Alcester
Tel. 01789 762 542 or 01789 762 435 (info line)
Open: house mid March-end June and Sep, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm; July and Aug, also open on Tue; Oct, same time, weekends only; garden open same as house but until 5.30pm; by timed ticket on busy days
National Trust and Historic Houses Association; 1500s house with exhibition on Gunpowder Plot; Tudor gatehouse; 25 acres of gardens; two churches; lake; walk beside river Arrow; Throckmorton family gardens (charge for NT members); rose festival held in late June/early July; 15th century St Peters parish church has early family tombs; Church of St Peter, St Paul and St Elizabeth on estate; shop; plant sales; restaurant; parking; café; domestic farm buildings; children’s play area
For photos and more information see our article Coughton Court
Web: Coughton Court

Cowdray House
East and West Sussex
South-east Counties
Cowdray Park, outskirts of Midhurst, West Sussex, on the A272
Tel. 0 1730 810 781
Open: mid March-end Oct, Wed-Sun and BH Mon, 10.30am-5pm (last admission 4pm)
Historic Houses Association member; ruined Grade I listed Tudor nobleman’s house; visited by Henry VIII and Elizabeth I; mostly destroyed by fire in 1793, with only kitchen tower intact; gatehouse; visitor centre with film of house history; interpretation panels and audio guides; grounds were landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown; shop; picnic area; special events; use the town main North St car park
Web: Cowdray House

Cragside
Northumberland
North-east Counties
1.5 miles from Rothbury, Morpeth
Tel. 0 1669 620 333
Open: house, mid March-end Oct, Tue-Sun,1-5pm some months, 11am-5pm others (check NT website for exact dates of the months); gardens, estate, shop, and tea-room, mid March-end Oct, Tue-Sun, 10am-7pm; Nov-3rd week Dec, Tue-Sun, 11am-4pm
National Trust property; visitor centre; 19th century home of Victorian inventor whose inventions made it first house in world lit by hydroelectricity; 30 rooms on show; 1000-acre woodland garden and trees; orchard house with fruit; rock gardens; rhododendrons; lakeside walks; children's play area; shop; plant sales; parking

Croft Castle
Herefordshire
West Midlands
Five miles north-west of Leominster, approach from B4362
Tel. 01568 780 246
Open: castle: March-mid March and Nov-3rd week Dec, weekends, 1-5pm; mid March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 1-5pm; park: open daily, year round, 8am-9pm
National Trust property; waymarked woodland walks; late 17th century house with Georgian interiors; plasterwork ceilings; furniture; porcelain; small 1500s church by house; restored walled gardens; 300 veteran trees; avenue of Spanish chestnuts; iron age hillfort in grounds; shop; plant sales; children's play area; tea-room; parking

Crook Hall
Durham
North-east Counties
Sidegate, north of Durham city centre
Tel. 0191 3848 028
Open: Easter weekend, May half term, BH and Sun, May and Sep; daily except Sat in June, July, Aug, 1-5pm
13th century great hall and screen passage in altered house

Dalemain
Cumbria
North-west Counties
4 miles southwest of Penrith on the A592 one mile south of the A66
Tel. 0 1768 486 450
Open: April-Oct, Sun-Thu; house 11.15am-4pm but closed 1-1.30pm; gardens, tea-room, gift shop, plant sales and museum 10:30am-5pm; Nov-mid Dec, tea-room and gardens only, Sun-Thu, 11am-4pm
Historic Houses Association member; house is combination of medieval Tudor and early Georgian; Chinese drawing; room; cantilevered oak staircase; silver, china and glass collections; furniture by Gillow; countryside museum; gardens consist of herbaceous borders and over 100 old fashioned roses; knot garden; tulips; flowering shrubs; blue Himalayan poppies; wild garden; 18th century tulip tree; UK's largest silver fir tree; park and woodland walks; tea-room ; self-catering accommodation on the estate; parking
Web: Dalemain

Danson Park and House
London
Greater London
Bexley, DA6 8HL
Tel. 020 8303 6699
Open: April-end Oct, house on Wed, Thu, Sun; during June, July and Aug also open on Tue; 11am-5pm
House built 1766; revival of the late 16th century Italian villa design; set in large park; small shop; café; special events; wedding venue
Just off the A2; by train from London to Bexley station, take taxi or bus (B13, 89, 96 or B14)

Deene Park
Northamptonshire
East Midlands
Corby, 6 miles north-east, off the A43
Tel. 01780 450 278
Open: May-end Aug, Sun and BH Mon; also Wed in May and June; grounds from 1-5pm; house from 2-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; medieval manor house with further development over six centuries; furniture and family portraits; park; lake; old-fashioned roses; cream teas; picnic area; parking
Web: Deene Park

Doddington Hall and Gardens
Lincolnshire
East Midlands
Doddington, 5 miles west of Lincoln
Tel. 01522 694 308
Open: gardens: mid Feb-end April, Sun, 1-5pm; Oct, Sun, 1-5pm. house and gardens: May-end Sep, Wed, Sun, and BH, 1-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; late Elizabethan brick mansion with formal courtyard gardens; collections of furniture, textiles, paintings and porcelain; walled rose gardens; walled kitchen garden; wild garden with spring bulbs; rhododendrons; ancient chestnut trees; woodland and parkland with nature trails; flowering borders; farm shop; cafe; parking
Web: Doddington Hall

Donington-le-Heath Manor House
Leicestershire
East Midlands
Manor Rd, southern edge of Coalville between Donington-le-Heath and Hugglescote villages
Tel. 0 1530 831 259
Open: Feb-Dec, daily, 11am-4pm; Jan, weekends only, same time
Medieval manor house (with later alterations); 17th century furnishings; shows how people lived in the past; changing displays; period gardens; special events include re-enactments; crafts; activities and exhibitions on Leicestershire history; tea-room; parking

Dorfold Hall
Cheshire
North-west Counties
One mile from Nantwich
Tel. 01270 625 245
Open: April-Oct, Tue and BH Mon, 2-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; Jacobean house with plaster ceilings and oak panelling; woodland gardens

Dove Cottage
Cumbria
North-west Counties
On the A591, near Grasmere village
Tel. 0 15394 35544
Open: March-end Oct, daily, 9.30am-5pm; Nov-end Feb, daily, 9:30am-4:30pm; closed 24-26 Dec and Jan
Early 17th century home of William and Dorothy Wordsworth; museum on the site with historic documents relating to Wordsworth; tea-room; parking
For more on Wordsworth see our article Wordsworth
Web: Dove Cottage and Wordsworth Museum

Down House
Kent
South-east Counties
Luxted Rd, Downe, near Biggin Hill
Tel. 0 1689 859 119
Open: April-end June and Sep-end Oct, Wed-Sun and BH, 11am-5pm; July-end Aug, daily, 11am-5pm; mid Feb-end March, Wed-Sun, 11am-4pm.
English Heritage property; home of scientist Charles Darwin; ground floor furnished as family living in it; interactive exhibition; audio tour; memorabilia; garden; greenhouse; observation beehive; parking; tea-room; shop

Drogo Castle
Devon
South-west Counties
Drewsteignton
Tel. 01647 433 306
Open: year round, mid March-end March, 3rd week April-3rd week May, June-3rd week July, Sep-3rd week Oct, Sat-Mon, 11am-5pm; 3rd week July-end Aug, last week March, daily, 11am-5pm; last week Oct, daily, 11am-4pm; week before Christmas, Thu-Mon, noon-4pm; first week March, first 2 weeks Dec, weekends, noon-4pm; for exact dates see National Trust website
National Trust property; 20th century fake granite castle; designed by Sir Edward Lutyens; family keepsakes; 17th century tapestries; servants' rooms; formal garden; woodlands; play area; walks through wooded Teign gorge; shop; plant centre; restaurant; tearoom; parking

Dudmaston
Shropshire
West Midlands
Quatt, 4 miles from Bridgnorth
Tel. 01746 780 866
Open: house, April-end Sep, Tue, Wed, Sun, BH from 2-5.30pm. garden, Mon-Wed, and Sun, noon-6pm; tearoom, Mon-Wed and Sun,11.30am-5.30pm
National Trust property; late 17th century manor house; furniture; china; modern art collection; 9 acres of lakeside gardens; walks; wooded valley; spring flowers; shop; plant sales; tea-room; parking

Duncombe Park
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Helmsley, by the Market Square
Tel. 01439 770 213
Open: house by guided tour, Easter, Aug BH, Christmas craft fair, check website for details; gardens, parkland centre and parkland, 3rd week April-end Aug, Sun-Fri, 10.30am-5pm for gardens, until 4pm for parklands
Historic Houses Association member; baroque mansion completed 1713; entry hall; ballroom; drawing room; library; sitting rooms; bedrooms; dining room; 35 acre 18th century gardens; terraces, temples, yew tree walk; 400 acres of parkland with historic trees; terrace walk; shop; tea-room; parkland centre; parking
For more information see our article Historic Homes of North Yorkshire
Web: Duncombe Park

Dunham Massey
Cheshire
North-west Counties
Three miles from Altrincham
Tel. 0161 941 1025
Open: house, March-end Oct, Sat-Wed, 11am-5pm. garden, March-end Oct, daily, 11am-5.30pm, from Nov-end Jan, daily, 11am-4pm; park, Feb-end Oct, daily, 9am-7.30pm except till 5pm in Feb; Nov-end Jan, daily, 9am-5pm
National Trust property; Georgian house; furniture; paintings; silver; long gallery; library; servants’ quarters; orangery; deer park; plantsman's garden; Victorian bark house; winter garden; orangery; ponds; deer; rare birds; sawmill with restored waterwheel; special events; shop; plant sales; restaurant; parking; picnic area

Dunster Castle
Somerset
South-west Counties
Dunster, near Minehead, on high hill
Tel. 0 1643 821 314
Open: mid March-end Oct, Wed-Fri,11am-5pm; garden and park open daily year round, 11am-4pm, except until 5pm, mid March-end Oct
National Trust property; castle begun in Norman times; remodelled 1868-72; 15th century gatehouse; ruined tower; oak staircase; 17th century dining room ceiling plasterwork; rooms unfurnished; subtropical gardens with plant collection; National Collection of Strawberry Trees; view over Bristol channel; bat camera; ghost busters trail; parking; shop; plant sales
For photos and more information see our article Dunster

Dyrham Park
Gloucestershire
South-west Counties
Dyrham, near Bath and Chippenham
Tel. 0117 937 2501
Open: house: mid March-end Oct, Fri-Tue, noon-5pm. park, year round, daily, 11am-5.30pm. garden, mid March-end June and Sep-end Oct, Fri-Tue, 11am-5pm; June-end Aug, daily, 11am-5pm; Nov-mid Dec, weekends, 11am-4pm
National Trust property; late 17th century baroque mansion; collection of Dutch delftware; Dutch paintings and furniture; 274 acres; garden; deer park; tulip festival in April; special events; shop; plant sale; tea-room; parking

East Riddlesden Hall
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Bradford Rd, Keighley, West Yorkshire
One mile north-east of Keighley
Tel. 01535 607 075
Open: mid March-end Oct, Tue, Wed, Sat, Sun, noon-5pm; tea-room from 11am on Sun
National Trust property; 17th century sandstone manor house; plasterwork; panelling; embroideries; oak furniture; outstanding tithe barn; formal garden; wild garden; duck pond; cherry trees, clematis, borders, daffodils, lavender beds; plant sales; picnic area; special tours; concerts; riverside path; shop; parking; tea-room

Eastnor Castle
Herefordshire
West Midlands
Two miles south-east of Ledbury, on the A438
Tel. 01531 633 160
Open: April-end Sep, Sun and BH, 11am-4.30pm; mid July-end Aug, daily except Sat, 11am-4.30pm
Mock castle home built in 1812; great hall; medieval armour; state dining room; gothic drawing room; saloon; library; state bedroom; tapestries; paintings; furniture; arboretum; lake; special events; photo exhibition; maze; deer park; adventure playground; arboretum; conifer plantations; shop; tea-room; parking
Web: Eastnor Castle

Eltham Palace
London
Greater London
Greenwich
Tel. 020 8294 2548
Open: April-end Oct, Sun-Wed, 10am-5pm; Nov-mid Dec, and Feb-end March, 11am-4pm; also open 27-30 Dec; closed Jan; check website for exact dates in winter
English Heritage property; two distinct connected properties: one is 1936 showcase home of 30s art deco design, Swedish and ocean-liner style built for Courtauld family; original furniture and family photographs; other building is medieval great hall built for Edward IV; display of objects related to time of Henry VIII growing up here; 19 acres of gardens include rock garden, medieval bridge, moat, sunken rose garden; picnic areas; civil weddings; audio tour; several train lines run from London to Eltham; walk up Eltham high street from train station to the end of the high street

Elton Hall and Gardens
Cambridgeshire
Eastern Counties
½ mile south of the village of Elton
Tel. 01832 280 468
Open: May BH; June, Wed, 2-5pm; July-endAug and Aug BH, Wed, Thu and Sun, 2-5pm; house by guided tour only
Historic Houses Association member; house a mix of styles; 15th century tower and chapel; 17th century wing; 18th century style marble hall; drawing room; dining room; library; 15th century furniture and paintings; sunken garden; orangery; arboretum; 200 acres of parkland; plant centre; tea-room; shop; events; parking
Web: Elton Hall

Epworth Old Rectory
Lincolnshire
East Midlands
1 Rectory St, Epworth
Tel. 0 1427 872 268
Open: March, April, Oct, Tue-Sat and BH Mon, 10.30 am-3.30pm; Sun and Good Fri, 2-4.30pm; May-Sep, Tue-Sat and BH Mon, 10am-4.30pm; Sun, 2-4.30pm; by guided tour about one hour
Rectory home of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, parents of the famous Charles (preacher, poet, hymn writer (Hark the Herald Angels Sing; Love Devine All Loves Excelling etc) and John Wesley, the founder of Methodism; some furniture belonging to the family; exhibition on John and Charles; physic garden; small shop with relevant items; parking; special event
Web: Epworth Old Rectory

Euston Hall
Suffolk
Eastern Counties
Euston, on the A1088, 10 miles north-east of Bury St Edmunds
Tel. 01842 766 366
Open: mid June-mid Sep, Thu, 2:30pm-5pm; also one Sun in June, July and Sep, 2:30-5pm; Note: closed in 2012, will reopen 2013
Historic Houses Association member; house remodelled, burned, torn down and rebuilt over centuries; paintings; watermill; pleasure grounds; 17th century church; river walks; craft shop; tea-room
Web: Euston Hall

Eyam Hall
Derbyshire
East Midlands
Main St, Eyam, in centre of village past church
Tel. 0 1433 639 565
Open: Hall, garden, craft centre: Wed-Sun, 10.30am-4.30pm with some variations; full details on National Trust website
17th century manor house in famous plague village; stone flagged hall; Jacobean staircase; tapestries; family possessions; tester bed; family costumes; walled garden; craft centre; shop; tea-room; shops; special events

Fairfax House
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
York
Tel. 01904 655 543
Open: mid Feb-end Dec (closed Christmas), Mon-Thu and Sat, 11am-4.30pm; Sun, 1.30-4.30pm; Fri, by guided tour at 11am and 2pm
Small Georgian townhouse; collection of early English clocks; mid 18th century furniture; great staircase with Venetian window; plaster decoration; dining room; hall; library; drawing room; bedrooms; special events; shop; Castle car park or public transport
For more information see our article Historic Homes of South and West Yorkshire
Web: Fairfax House

Farnborough Hall
Warwickshire
West Midlands
Farnborough, 6 miles north of Banbury
.5 mile west of the A423
Tel. 0 1295 690 002
Open: April-end Sep, Wed and Sat, 2-6pm
National Trust property; mid 18th century honey coloured stone house; plasterwork; terrace walk; landscaped garden

Felbrigg Hall and Gardens
Norfolk
Eastern Counties
Felbrigg, Norwich
Tel. 0 1263 837444
Open: house—March-Oct, Sat-Wed, 11am-5pm; park—year round, daily, dawn-dusk; gardens, tea-room, shop—March-end Oct, daily, 11am-5.30pm; exact details at National Trust website
National Trust property; 300 year old home with original contents including furniture, portraits, and collections; famous for plasterwork; Georgian drawing room; library; kitchen with collection copperware; 520 acre park, lake, woods, waymarked trails; walled garden; dovecote; parking; tea-room; shop; plant sales; used book store; special events; parking, fee charged

Fenton House
London
Greater London
Hampstead
Tel. 020 7435 3471 or 01494 755563 (infoline)
Open: March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm; end Nov-20 Dec, weekends, 11am-4pm
National Trust property; 17th century merchant’s house mostly unaltered; collection of Georgian furniture; large collection of early keyboard instruments; porcelain and 17th century needlework collections; street parking only; special events; Hampstead is nearest underground

Firle Place
East and West Sussex
South-east Counties
Firle, 4 miles south of Lewes, East Sussex
Tel. 01273 858 307
Open: June-Sep, Wed, Thu, Sun, and BH May and Aug, 2-4.30pm; lunches, noon-2pm; afternoon tea, 3-4.30pm
Historic Houses Association member; Tudor house remodelled in the 18th century; Old Master paintings; English and European furniture; Sèvres porcelain; events; restaurant; shop; parking
Web: Firle Place

Forde Abbey
Dorset
South-west Counties
Four miles south-east of Chard, just off B3167
Tel. 0 1460 221 290
Open: house: April-end Oct, Sun, Tue-Fri, BH, noon-4pm; garden, daily, all year, 10am-4.30pm
Historic Houses Association member; originally a Cistercian monastery; great hall; monks' dormitory; cloisters; chapel; undercroft; state rooms; kitchen garden; bog garden; summer flowers; cascade; ponds; rock garden; arboretum; wildflower meadow; pottery exhibition; tea-room; shop; plant sales; parking
Web: Forde Abbey

Frogmore House
London
Greater London
Windsor Home Park, Windsor (Windsor Central Station)
Tel. 020 7766 7305 to book tickets
Open: limited number of days, usually 3 days in Aug, 10am-5.30pm (last admission 4pm); check website ahead of time for each year
Former royal retreat built in 17th century for Queen Charlotte; art works and porcelain on display; Royal Mausoleum (not open every year); 18th century lake; 4000 trees and shrubs; walks
Web: Frogmore Open Hours

Gainsborough Old Hall
Lincolnshire
East Midlands
Parnell St, Gainsborough
Tel. 01427 612 669
Open: April-end Oct, daily, 10am-5pm; Nov-mid Dec, Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm; Jan-end Feb, Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm; closed last two weeks Dec and month March
English Heritage property; well preserved late medieval manor house; great hall; kitchens; tower; museum; audio guide
For photos and more information see our article Gainsborough Old Hall, Lincolnshire

Gawsworth Hall
Cheshire
North-west Counties
Church Lane, 3 miles south of Macclesfield, on the A536
Tel. 0 1260 223 456
Open: May–third week June, and two middle weeks Sep, Sun-Wed, 2-5pm; July-end Aug, daily, 2-5pm
Half-timbered manor house built 1485; family home; most rooms on display; 1365 chapel in house; church in grounds has stained glass by Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris; 30 acre garden and grounds; special events; weddings; park near the church
For photos and more information see our articles Gawsworth Hall and St James the Great church
Web: Gawsworth Hall

Gawthorpe Hall
Lancashire
North-west Counties
Padiham, near Burnley
Tel. 01282 771 004
Open: April-end Oct, daily Wed-Sun, noon-5pm; tea-room as hall; garden, year round, daily, 8am-7pm
National Trust property; run by Lancashire County Council; Elizabethan house built in 1600 and restored in mid-Victorian times; textile collection; long gallery with portraits; part of an international collection of needlework; riverside walks; wooded park; tea-room; shop; parking (tight access and turning)

Gilbert White’s House and Oates Museum
Hampshire
South-east Counties
The Wakes, High St, Selborne
Tel. 0 1420 511 275
Open: Jan-mid Feb, Fri-Sun, 10.30am-4.30pm; mid Feb-3rd week March, Tue-Sun, 10.30am-4.30pm; last week March-end Oct, Tue-Sun 10.30am-5.15pm; Nov-23 Dec, Tue-Sun, 10.30am-4.30pm, until 3pm 24 Dec; also open BH Sun and Mon in July and Aug
Home of Rev. Gilbert White (1720-93), author of Natural History of Selborne and founding father of modern natural history recording; rooms restored include his furniture, family portraits, and embroidered bed hangings; library with his hand-written manuscript; 20 acre garden and parkland restored to 18th century form, includes wild flower garden and vegetable plot, miniature landscape garden, and follies; museum focuses on Oates family who were explorers; field study centre; special events; tea-room; shop; plant sales; use Selborne village car park
Web: Gilbert White’s House and Oates Museum

Glastonbury Tribunal
Somerset
South-west Counties
Glastonbury High St
Tel. 01458 832 954
Open: April-end Sep, Mon-Thu, 10am-5pm; Fri and Sat, 10am-5.30pm; Oct-end March, 10am-4pm; Fri-Sat, 10am-4.30pm
English Heritage property; 15th century stone townhouse; panelled interior; museum and Tourist Information Centre; parking-fee charged

Glemham Hall and Gardens
Suffolk
Eastern Counties
Little Glemham
Take A12 from Ipswich
Tel. 0 1728 746704; for booking house visits tel 0 1206 573 948
Open: garden only various Sundays in summer, 2-5pm, check website for dates; house open for pre-booked visits only
Historic Houses Association member; built c1560; extended in early 18th century with removal of bays, raising attic storey walls to hide roof, sash windows inserted; front now has three storey entrance façade of seven bays beteween two bay wings; interior had much renovation except for Great Hall; family portraits; tour shows principal rooms including hall and dining room, staircase hall, wood panelled library, ballroom now a bedroom, grey bedroom with early 20th century French wallpaper; formal garden; walled rose and herbaceous garden; Irish yew avenue; parking
Web: Glemham Hall

Godolphin House and Gardens
Cornwall
South-west Counties
Godolphin Cross, Helston
Tel. 01736 763 194
Open: estate, year round, daily; garden, April-end Oct, Sat-Wed, 10am-5pm; house, 11am-5pm, daily, specific days and weeks during May-Sep, based on several fairs held in the property; check NT website for exact dates
National Trust property; historic estate; early 1700s house left to decay; 14th and 16th century garden; estate walks; archaeological features include bronze age enclosures; parking; picnic area

Goodwood House
East and West Sussex
South-east Counties
Goodwood, near Chichester, West Sussex
Tel. 01243 755 040 (infoline re openings)
Open: house, April-end Sep, most Sun and Mon, 1-5pm; Aug, Sun-Thu, 1-5pm; check website as house is closed for special events at various times throughout opening months
Historic Houses Association member; 1600-1900s home; Regency state apartments; setting for race week house parties for royal guests and high society members; French furniture and Sèvres porcelain collection
Web: Goodwood House

Gorhambury House
Hertfordshire
Eastern Counties
Two miles west of St Albans
Tel. 0 1727 854 051
Open: May-end Sep, Thu, 2-5pm by tour only
Historic Houses Association member; late 18th century house with Corinthian portico; collection of portraits

Great Dixter Hall and Gardens
East and West Sussex
South-east Counties
Northiam, near Rye, East Sussex
Tel. 01797 252 878
Open: April-3rd week Oct, Tue-Sun and BH Mon; garden, 11am-5pm; house, 2-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; Christopher Lloyd gardens; timber-framed medieval house with great hall, solar and parlour; shop; parking; plant nursery
Web: Great Dixter

Greenway Agatha Christie House
Devon
South-west Counties
Greenway Road, Galmpton, nr Brixham, TQ5 0ES
On banks of river Dart
Tel. 0 1803 842382 (Infoline)
Open: March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 10.30am-5pm; phone info line for further details
National Trust property; home (1938-59) of famous mystery writer Agatha Christie; Hercule Poirot stories written here; ground floor rooms and main first floor rooms open to public; includes library with collection of her books and dolls from family collection; writing desk; drawing room; shop; plant sales; parking (traffic management system in operation); for ferry connection telephone Greenway Ferry and Quay Services (licensed operators to the NT) 01803 844010; café; self catering cottages; special events and tours; garden; Victorian fernery; vinery; boathouse; barn gallery with contemporary art
Web: Greenway

Greyfriars (The)
Worcestershire
West Midlands
Friar St, Worcester
Tel. 01905 23571
Open: March-end June, and Sep-mid Dec, Wed-Sat, 1-5pm; July-end Aug, Wed-Sun, 1-5pm
National Trust property; timber framed house built c 1480; panelled rooms; textiles; furniture; walled garden; no parking-use town car parks

Greys Court
Oxfordshire
South-east Counties
Rotherfield Greys, 3 miles west of Henley-on-Thames
Tel. 0 1494 755 564 (infoline); 0 1491 628 529
Open: house: April-Sep, Wed-Sun, 2-5pm; garden: April-Sep, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm; also open BH Mon
National Trust property; house evolved over a number of centuries from medieval times; walled garden; ice house; well-house; Tudor donkey wheel; maze; tea-room; book shop; plant stall; organic produce for sale; circuit walk; parking

Grimsthorpe Castle, Park and Gardens
Lincolnshire
East Midlands
Four miles north-west of Bourne
Tel. 01778 591 205
Open: park and gardens, April-May, Sun, Thu, and BH Mon, 11am-6pm; June-Sep, Sun-Thu; house same days as park, 1-6pm
Historic Houses Association member; 3000 acre landscaped park with lakes, woods, trails; house has state rooms, picture galleries, tapestries, and furniture; parking; tea-room; shop
For further details and photos see our article at Grimsthorpe Castle
Web: Grimsthorpe Castle

Grove House
Isle of Man
Andreas Rd, Ramsey
Tel. 0 1624 648 000
Open: April-Oct, daily, 10am-4pm
Early Victorian country house; authentic period rooms with family belongings; outbuildings with agricultural equipment of the era; conservatory café
For photos and more details see our article The Grove

Gunby Hall
Lincolnshire
East Midlands
Gunby, by Spilsby, A158
Tel. 07870 758 876
Open: house and garden, June-end Aug, Wed, 2-5pm; garden only, also Tue and Thu, June-end Aug; also Thu in Sep
National Trust property; 1700s red brick house; furniture; portraits; Victorian walled garden; stable block; exhibition

Haddon Hall
Derbyshire
East Midlands
Haddon Hall estate, 1.5 miles south of Bakewell
Tel. 01629 812 855
Open: April and Oct, Sat-Mon; May-Sep, daily, noon-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; fortified medieval manor house dating from 12th through 17th centuries; long gallery; kitchen; banquet hall; great chamber; terraced gardens; old roses; parking; shop; restaurant
Web: Haddon Hall

Hampton Court Palace
Surrey
South-east Counties
On the A308, about 30 minutes south-west of London on the Thames River; can be reached by train, bus or river trip from London; Waterloo station from London, train runs twice an hour; by riverboat in summer from Westminster, Richmond-upon-Thames, and Kingston-upon-Thames
Tel. 0844 482 7777 (from UK); 020 3166 6000 (from outside UK)
Open: palace and maze, year round, daily, Nov-end March, 10am-4.30pm; April-end Oct, 10am-6pm; gardens stay open one hour later
Tudor palace built by Cardinal Wolsey in the early 1500s but commandeered by Henry VIII, who enlarged it; Great Hall with hammerbeam roof; State Apartments, decorated with Grinling Gibbons carvings; collection of paintings and furniture; kitchens and cellars with display of life in Tudor times; special events and exhibitions; famous maze; 600 acres of parkland and gardens
See our five articles and photos on Hampton Court Palace at Hampton Court Palace
Web: Hampton Court Palace; can book tickets online

Hanbury Hall
Worcestershire
West Midlands
School Rd, Hanbury, 4.5 miles east of Droitwich Spa
Tel. 01527 821 214
Open: house: March-mid March, weekends, 1-5pm; mid March-end Oct, Sat-Wed, 1-5pm; second week Nov-3rd week Dec, weekends, noon-4pm; garden/park/cafe/shop: Feb-mid Mar, weekends, 11am-5pm; mid March-end June, Sat-Wed, 11am-5pm; July and Aug, daily, 11am-5pm; second week Nov-3rd week Dec, weekends, 11am-4pm; week after Christmas, daily, 11am-4pm; second week Jan-end Jan, weekends, 11am-4pm; by timed ticket on busy days
National Trust property; William and Mary house; painted ceilings; staircase; porcelain; paintings; 400 acre parkland; 20 acre garden; orangery; icehouse; shop; tea-room; plant sales; parking

Hardwick Hall and Stainsby Mill
Derbyshire
East Midlands
Doe Lea, Chesterfield, 6 miles west of Mansfield, off the A6175
Tel. 0246 850 430
Open: hall: mid Feb-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 11am-4.30pm, three weeks in Dec, weekends, 11am-3pm; garden, mid Feb-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm; three weeks in Dec, weekends, 11am-3pm; park, year round, daily, 8.30am-6pm; mill same months and days, 10am-4pm and 11am-3pm
National Trust property; home of Bess of Hardwick, Countess of Shrewsbury; built 1590; fireplaces; friezes; furniture; needlework; 16th and 17th century tapestries; walled courtyard with gardens; herb garden; orchard; lawns; walks; trails; rare breeds of sheep and cattle; 18th century Stainsby mill in working order on the estate; remains of Hardwick Old Hall in grounds; special events; restaurant; shop; parking

Hardwick Old Hall
Derbyshire
East Midlands
Doe Lea, Chesterfield, 6 miles west of Mansfield, off the A6175
Tel. 01246 850 431
Open: April-end Sep, Wed-Sun, 10am-6pm; Oct, same days, 10am-5pm, Nov-third week March, weekends, 10am-4pm; for specific dates visit English Heritage website
Owned by National Trust, managed by English Heritage; ruin of Bess of Hardwick’s first manor house, sited in grounds beside Hardwick Hall; decorative plasterwork; exhibition; audio tour; restaurant and shop at Hardwick Hall; parking; cottage for rent on the grounds

Hardy’s Cottage
Dorset
South-west Counties
Higher Bockhampton
Tel. 01305 262 366
Open: April-end Oct, Sun-Thu, 11am-5pm
National Trust property; birthplace of author Thomas Hardy; cob and thatch country cottage; cottage garden; parking--600 yard walk required along lane (level) or through woods (uphill)
See photos and read about Hardy in our article Thomas Hardy's Dorset

Harewood House and Garden
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Wetherby, on the A61 near Harrogate
Tel. 0113 2181010
Open: daily, April-end Oct; house, noon-4pm, grounds and gardens, 10am-6pm; below stairs, 10.30am-4pm; bird garden, 10am-5.30pm; Nov, Dec, Feb, and early March, check website for full details
Former home of Princess Mary and now home of Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin; Adams interior with plaster ceilings, furniture, portraits and family photos; Below Stairs exhibition; old kitchen with copperware collection; 1000 acres of parkland with terraced gardens; roses; walled gardens; lake; walks; aviary; three shops
For more information see our article Historic Homes of South and West Yorkshire
Web: Harewood House and Garden

Harvington Hall
Worcestershire
West Midlands
Harvington, 3 miles south-east of Kidderminster
Tel. 0 1562 777 846
Open: March and Oct, weekends only; April-Sep, Wed-Sun and BH Mon, 11.30am-4pm
Historic Houses Association member; moated medieval and Elizabethan manor house with original wall paintings; restored Georgian chapel; priest's holes; Elizabethan malt house; herb garden; north and south gardens; small lake; restaurant; shop; parking
Web: Harvington Hall

Hatchlands
Surrey
South-east Counties
On the A246 Leatherhead to Guilford road
Tel. 01483 222 482
Open: house and garden, April-end July, and Sep-end Oct, Tue-Thu and Sat, 2-5.30pm; Aug, Tue-Fri and Sat, 2.5.30pm; park, April-end Oct, daily, 11am-6pm
National Trust property; 18th century mansion; Adams interiors; Cobbe collection of early keyboard instruments played by famous composers; 430 acre park designed by Repton; walks; woods with bluebells in spring; tea-room; parking; concerts
(Note: Clandon Park is a sister property 5 minutes drive from Hatchlands)
Web: Cobbe Collection

Hatfield House and Gardens
Hertfordshire
Eastern Counties
Hatfield, on the A1 south-east of Hertford and north of the M25; south of the A414
Rail line (King's Cross every half-hour) runs to Hatfield village, then short walk to the house
Tel. 0 1707 287 010
To book weddings and banquets: 0 1707 262 055 (banquets on Tue, Fri, and Sat evenings)
Open: house, April-end Sep, Wed-Sun, noon-5pm; park and stable yard shops, April-end Sep, Tue-Sun, BH, 11am-5.30pm; restaurant April-end Sep, Tue, Sun, BH, 10am-5pm; East Garden, April-end Sep, Wed only, 11am-5pm; West Garden, April-end Sep, Tue-Sun, BH, 10am-5pm; park farm, April-end Sep, Tue-Sun, BH, 10am-5.30pm (or dusk)
Jacobean childhood home of Queen Elizabeth I, built 1611; state rooms; chapel, grand staircase; world famous paintings; rare tapestries and furniture; historic momentos; 52 acres of 17th century gardens (restored Victorian times); knot garden; fountains; restaurant; shop; parking; walks; picnic area; special events
For photos and more information see our article Hatfield House
Parking; special events
Web: Hatfield House
Web: Stable Yard at Hatfield House

Hellens Manor House
Herefordshire
West Midlands
½ mile east of Much Marcle, access from B4024
Tel. 0 1531 660 504
Open: Good Friday-end Sep, Wed, Thu, Sun and BH Mon, by guided tour only at 2pm, 3pm, 4pm
Historic Houses Association member; Tudor manor house with interesting history; stone hall; haunted rooms; minstrel gallery; music room; redeveloped gardens with dovecote and knot garden; pond; spring wildflowers; woods; family carriages; old cider mill house; parking; small shop; events and activities
For photos and more details see our article Hellens House
Web: Hellens House

Highclere Castle
Berkshire
South-east Counties
Highclere Park, near Newbury
Tel. 01635 253 210
Open: July-end Aug, Sun-Thu, 10.30am-4.30pm; also open various days re Easter and in May (check exact dates on website)
Georgian house rebuilt in 1800s in Georgian classical style; state rooms; saloon; library; furniture; paintings; sitting rooms; Egyptian exhibition; gardens; walled garden; orangery; yew walks; parkland designed by 'Capability Brown'; tea-room; parking; special events; shop; plant centre
Web: Highclere Castle

Hill Top House
Cumbria
North-west Counties
Near Sawrey, by Ambleside
Tel. 015394 36269
Open: Near Sawrey, two miles south of Hawkshead
Tel. 0 1539 436 269
Open: house: mid Feb-first 3 weeks March, Sat-Thu, 11am-3.30pm; last week March-3 weeks May, Sat-Thu, 10.30am-4.30pm; last week May-end Aug, Sat-Thu, 10am-4.30pm; Sep-end Oct, Sat-Thu, 10.30am-4.30pm; entry to house is by ticket only purchased on the day and limited number of tickets are issued; shop and garden, daily, mid Feb-24 Dec, times vary greatly—check National Trust website for full details
National Trust property; 17th century farmhouse home of Beatrix Potter in the Lake District; shop; small garden; limited off road parking
For more on Beatrix Potter see our article Tale of Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit

Hinton Ampner House and Garden
Hampshire
South-east Counties
Bramdean, Alresford
Off the A272, one mile west of Bramdean village, eight miles south-east of Winchester
Tel. 01962 771 305
Open: House: mid March-end Oct, Tue, Wed, Sat, Sun, noon-5pm; last entry to house 4.45pm; Garden/tea-room, and shop: mid-March-end Oct, Sat-Wed, 11am-5pm, last entry 4.30; also open first three weeks Dec, weekends, 11am-4pm
National Trust property; house, remodeled in the 1900s, has collection of furniture, paintings, and objets d'art; 20th century gardens include topiary, sunken garden, long walk, and dell; shop; plant sales; parking; small tea-room

Hoghton Tower
Lancashire
North-west Counties
On A675, midway between Blackburn and Preston
Tel. 01254 852 986
Open: July, Aug, Sep, Mon-Thu, 11am-4pm; Sun from 1-5pm, also BH
Historic Houses Association member; mid-Tudor manor house, English renaissance architecture; 40-minute guided tour; Queen Anne panelling; furniture; galleried banqueting hall; gardens; walled wilderness garden; shop; tea-room; parking; special events including falconry day

Holdenby House, Gardens, and Falconry Centre
Northamptonshire
East Midlands
Six miles northwest of Northampton
Off the A428 or A5199
Tel. 01604 77074
Open: gardens and falconry centre, May-end Aug, Sun and BH Mon, 1-5pm; gardens only, Sun and BH Mon in April and Sep, 1-5pm; house open three days in the year only, noon-5pm, phone for appointment to view
Historic Houses Association member; former palace of Charles I--kitchen, ballroom, library, dining room; piano room; 20 acre Grade I listed; walled kitchen garden; Victorian greenhouses; Elizabethan garden (restored); collection of silver leafed plants; 50 birds of prey on display
Web: Holdenby House, Gardens, and Falconry Centre

Holker Hall and Gardens
Cumbria
North-west Counties
Cark-in-Cartmel, five miles west of Grange-over-Sands; on B5277/B5278
Tel. 0 1539 558 328
Open: mid March-end Oct, Sun-Fri, hall, 11am-4pm; gardens, same months and days, 10.30am-5.30pm; gift shop, food hall and restaurant, Feb-24 Dec, daily, 10.30am-5.30pm except closes 4pm Nov-March
17th century lived-in mansion; west wing only open to public; cantilevered grand staircase; marble fireplaces; collection of Jasperware; Crafts and Countryside Museum; special events throughout the year; Victorian and wartime kitchen exhibition; café; shop; parking
Web: Holker Hall

Holkham Hall
Norfolk
Eastern Counties
Wells-next-the-Sea
Tel. 01328 710 227 (infoline)
Open: hall and walled garden: April-end Oct, Sun, Mon, and Thu, noon-4pm; Bygones Museum, History of Farming exhibition, gift shop, Stables Café, April-end Oct, daily, 10am-5pm; Park, Jan-March, Mon, Wed, Fri, 7am-7pm, Tue and Thu, 9.30am-7pm; Park, April-end Oct, Mon-Sat, 7am-7pm, Sun, 9am-7pm, with exception of Oct when park is open on Tue and Thu from 9.30am-7pm
Historic Houses Association member; 3000 acre deer park; lake; 18th century Palladian mansion; 12 staterooms; museum in stables with vintage cars and steam engines; farming exhibition; pottery; shops; restaurant; cafe; plant nursery; lake cruises; across the road is ‘Shakespeare in Love’ film beach with sand and dunes; hotel; pub; holiday park; self-catering; parking; events; allow a full day to visit the hall, park, and beach
Web: Holkham Hall

Holme Pierrepont Hall
Nottinghamshire
East Midlands
5 miles south-east of Nottingham
Tel. 0115 933 2371
Open: Feb-3rd week March, Mon-Wed, 2-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; late medieval (1500s) manor house with long gallery; spring gardens; snowdrops; daffodils; courtyard garden; parking; afternoon tea
Web: Holme Pierrepont Hall

Houghton Hall
Norfolk
Eastern Counties
Houghton, east of King’s Lynn
Tel. 0 1485 528 569
Open: Easter Sun-end Sep, Wed, Thu, Sun, and BH Mon; gardens 11.30am-5.30pm; house, 1.30-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; staterooms; bedrooms; saloon; dining room; gilded ceilings; 12th century church; gardens; walled garden; Soldier museum; special events; parking; shop; restaurant
Web: Houghton Hall

Houghton House
Bedfordshire
Eastern Counties
Off the B530, 8 miles south of Bedford, 1 mile north-east of Ampthill, off the A507-A5120 roundabout
Tel. 0 1234 228 337
Open: daylight hours
English Heritage property; ruins of 17th century manor house; mix of Jacobean and classical styles; ground floors of two Italianate loggias; parking; information panels at site

Hughenden Manor
Buckinghamshire
South-east Counties
Bradenham, High Wycombe
Tel. 0 1494 755 573 or 0 1494 755 565 (infoline)
Open: house, March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 1-5pm, also Sat-Mon, noon-3pm week 2 and 3 of Dec; garden, same months and days as house but from 11am; park, daily, year round
National Trust property; country home of Victorian Benjamin Disraeli; furniture, books, and pictures of his on display; walks through park and woodlands; gardens; parking; events and workshops; restaurant
For photos and more details see our article Hughenden Manor

Hutton-In-The-Forest
Cumbria
North-west Counties
Penrith, 6 miles north-west on the B5305 near Unthank and Skelton
Tel. 0 17684 84449
Open: house: mid April-end Sep, Wed, Thu, Sun and BH Mon, 12:30-4pm; tea-room, mid April-end Sep, Wed, Thu, Sun and BH Mon 11am-4:30pm; gardens, grounds, and walks: April-end Oct, Sun-Fri, 11am-5pm
14-19th century home with 14th century pele tower; woodland with specimen trees, originally part of medieval Inglewood forest; hardwoods, oak, beech, and lime date to mid-1700s; 17th-19th century topiary and terraces; 18th century walled garden; 17th century dovecote; 3 ponds, one with an 18th century cascade; woodland walk; 18th century church; special events
Web: Hutton in the Forest

Ickworth House, Park and Garden
Suffolk
Eastern Counties
Horringer, 3 miles south-west of Bury St Edmunds, north-west side of the A143
Tel. 0 1284 735 270
Open: Park: all year, 8am-8pm, daily; House: mid March-end Sep, Fri-Tue, 1-5pm; Oct, same days, 1-4.30pm; Garden: March-mid March, Fri-Tue, 11am-4pm; mid March-end Oct, daily, 10am-5pm
National Trust property; eccentric house with central rotunda and curved corridors; east wing is now a hotel; west wing is conference and wedding facilities; state rooms; paintings; Georgian silver; Italianate garden; 1800 acres of parkland; woodland walks; deer; vineyard; Georgian summerhouse; church; canal; lake; shop; restaurant; parking

Ightham Mote
Kent
South-east Counties
Mote Rd, Ivy Hatch, Sevenoaks
Tel. 01732 810 378
Open: house, mid March-end Oct, Thu-Mon, 11am-5pm; Nov-3rd week Dec, weekends, 11am-3pm; estate, year round, daily, dawn-dusk
National Trust property; 14th century moated manor house; later additions and alterations; great hall; crypt; Tudor chapel; Grade I listed dog kennel; cobbled courtyard; grounds; gardens; lakeside and woodland walks; shop; restaurant; plant sales; family activities; parking

Ingatestone Hall
Essex
Eastern Counties
Hall Lane, Ingatestone, off the A12 (Exit 28 from the M25) between BRENTWOOD and CHELMSFORD
Tel. 0 1277 353 010
Open: Easter-end Sep, Wed, Sun and BH Mon, except closed Wed in June; noon-6pm; also open for special events; closed for private functions on certain dates, check website
Historic Houses Association member; 16th century manor house, built by Sir William Petre, Secretary of State to four Tudor monarchs; family memorabilia; furniture; family portraits; garden; grounds; parking
For photos and more details see our article Ingatestone Hall
Web: Ingatestone Hall

Isel Hall
Cumbria
North-west Counties
Cockermouth
Tel. 0 1900 821 778
Open: April-end Sep, Mon only, 2-4pm; groups at other times by arrangement
Historic Houses Association member; private home with great hall and pele tower, built 1400; domestic range dates from time of Henry VIII; 16th century wing; terrace; sunken garden

Island Hall
Cambridgeshire
Eastern Counties
Post St, Godmanchester
Tel. 01480 459 676
Open: July, Sun, 2:30-5pm
18th century country mansion; 10 bedrooms; wood panelled dining room; saloon; drawing room; entrance hall; formal gardens; ornamental island

Izaak (Isaac) Walton's Cottage
Staffordshire
West Midlands
Worston Lane, Shallowford, near Stone
Tel: 0 1785 760 278 (May-Aug), 0 1785 619 619 (Sep-April)
Open: May-end Aug, Sun
16th century thatched and timber framed black and white cottage, belonged to author of Compleat Angler; rooms furnished in 17th century style; houses small collection fishing tackle; gardens

Jane Austen House and Museum
Hampshire
South-east Counties
Chawford
Tel. 01420 83262
Open: June-end Aug, daily 10am-5pm; March-May, Sep-end Dec, daily, 10.30am-4pm (except 25/26 Dec); Jan-end Feb, weekends, 10.30am-4.30pm
17th century home of writer Jane Austen who spent last 8 years of her life here; family furnishings and memorabilia; garden; shop with focus on Austen's books
Web: Jane Austen House

John Milton's Cottage
Buckinghamshire
South-east Counties
Chalfont St. Giles
Tel. 01494 872 313
Open: March-end Oct, Tue-Sun, 10am-1pm, 2-6pm
Grade I listed 15th century cottage home of famous writer John Milton presented as a museum about him; cottage garden; parking
Web: Miltons Cottage

Kedleston Hall
Derbyshire
East Midlands
Five miles north-west of Derby
Tel. 01332 842 191
Open: house and church, March-end Oct, Sat-Wed, noon-5pm; garden and park, March-end Oct, daily, 10am-6pm; park, also open Nov-end Jan, daily, 10am-4pm
National Trust property; mid 1700s Palladian style mansion; Adams interiors; staterooms; displays of Curzon family treasures; museum of Indian collections; paintings; sculptures; 820 acre parkland; walks; lakes; water cascade; garden restored as 18th century pleasure ground; All Saints' Church (not NT) in grounds was part of medieval village; restaurant; shop; plant sales; parking

Kelmarsh Hall
Northamptonshire
East Midlands
Kelmarsh, near A14/A508 junction
Tel. 0 1604 686 543
Open: house by guided tour; April-end Sep, hall open BH Mon, first Sun month, Tue, 2-5pm; gardens Tue, 11am-5pm, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun and BH Mon; special garden events have extra opening times—check website
Historic Houses Association property; 18th century hall with collection of 18th century furniture including Chippendale; tapestries; porcelain; works of art from Croome Court (Worcestershire); parkland; walled and informal gardens; parking; tea-room; special floral garden events; shop
Web: Kelmarsh Hall

Kelmscott Manor
Gloucestershire
South-west Counties
Kelmscott, near Lechlade
Tel. 01367 252 486
Open: April-end Sep, Wed, 11am-5pm; also some Sat-check website for exact dates; by timed ticket only; gardens, June-Sep, Wed and Thu, 2-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; Grade I listed limestone manor house; summer home of William Morris; shop; restaurant; parking--10 minute walk to house
Web: Kelmscott Manor

Kensington Palace
London
Greater London
High St, Kensington
Tel. book advanced tickets: 0870 751 5180
Open: March-end Oct, daily, 10am-5pm; Nov-end Feb, daily, 10am-4pm
Built in 1605; enlarged by William and Mary to resemble a stately home; furniture; paintings; royal apartments; restaurant; orangery; large park
For photos and more information see our article Kensington Palace

Kentwell Hall
Suffolk
Eastern Counties
Long Melford, 4 miles north of Sudbury, off the A134
Tel. 01787 310 207
Open: March-Nov, 11am-5pm; varied days, no set pattern, for full details visit website
Historic Houses Association member; Tudor house with moat; lived in family home; west wing with great kitchen and bedrooms; gothic style central block; east wing has original oak staircase; library; state bedroom; dairy, bakehouse and brewhouse in moated service house; avenue of limes; rare breeds farm; special events; parking; tea-room (phone first, not always open)
Web: Kentwell Hall

Kew Palace
At Kew Gardens
Richmond, Surrey, on the A307/A205
South bank of the River Thames, 10km south-west of London
Use public transport (underground, train, bus) from London
Tel. 020 8332 5655 (info line)
Open: Kew Palace: April-Sep, Mon, 11am-5pm, Tue-Sun, 10am-5pm; by timed ticket only; Kew Gardens: 9.30am, daily except 24/25th Dec; close April-Aug at 6.30pm weekdays, 7.30pm weekends; close rest of year at 6pm
Former rich merchant’s house turned into country retreat of George III and his family; tells the story of their royal life at the palace; bedrooms untouched for 200 years; George III’s waistcoat on display
Web: Kew Palace

Killerton House
Devon
South-west Counties
Broadclyst, Exeter
Tel. 01392 881 345
Open: park and garden, year round, daily, 10.30am-7pm; house mid March-end July and Sep, Wed-Mon, 11am-5pm; Aug, daily, 11am-5pm; Oct, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm; first 3 weeks Dec, daiy, 2-4pm; first week March, weekends, 2-4pm
National Trust property; 18th century house; exhibition of costumes; 1770 hillside garden with rhododendrons, magnolias, herbaceous borders, rare trees, ice house, sumerhuse; estate; waymarked walks; events; plant sales; shop; tea-room; restaurant; parking

Kimbolton Castle
Cambridgeshire
Eastern Counties
Seven miles north-west of St Neots
Tel. 0 1480 860 505
Open: various dates, by tour; phone or check website
Late Stuart house, originally a castle but changed into country mansion; Katherine of Aragon died here; now a school; wooded grounds with walks; parking; light refreshments
Web: Kimbolton Castle

Kingston Bagpuize House
Oxfordshire
South-east Counties
Kingston Bagpuize, near Abingdon
Tel. 01865 820 259
Open: house and garden, Feb-Sep, 2-5.30pm, different days; check website for details; house by guided tour
Historic Houses Association member; built in the 1660s and remodeled in the 1700s; cantilevered staircase; drawing room with English and French furniture; library; sitting room; dining room; gardens; herbaceous and shrub borders; woodland garden; walks; woodlands; special events; tea-room; parking
Web: Kingston Bagpuize House

Kingston Lacy
Dorset
South-west Counties
Wimborne Minster
Tel. 01202 883 402
Open: house, mid March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 11am-4pm; garden and park, mid March-end Oct, daily, 10.30am-6pm; Nov-3rd week Dec and Feb-first week March, weekends, 10.30am-4pm
National Trust property; 17th century country mansion, altered in 19th century; Spanish room with leather walls; art collection; Egyptian artefacts; formal lawns; Japanese tea garden; waymarked walks; 8500 acre estate; iron age hill fort, Badbury Rings; garden and park events; parking; shop; plant sales; restaurant

Kiplin Hall
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Off the B6271 between Scorton and Northallerton
Tel. 01748 818 178
Open: Easter Sun-end Sep, Sun-Wed, 2-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; red brick house built in 1620s as hunting lodge; 4 towers; Georgian fireplaces and plasterwork; Jacobean style library; drawing rooms; long gallery; bedrooms; four centuries of paintings and furniture displayed in room settings; exhibitions; tea-shop; gardens; woodland walk; children's activities; trout fishing; parking; special events; shop; tea-room; picnic area
Web: Kiplin Hall

Kirby Hall
Northamptonshire
East Midlands
Deene, Corby on minor road off the A43
Tel. 01536 203 230
Open: April-end June, Thu-Mon, 10am-5pm; July-end Aug, daily, 10am-6pm; Nov-end March, Thu-Mon, noon-4pm
English Heritage property; partly roofless stone-built Elizabethan and 17th century mansion; richly decorated; great hall and state rooms intact; gardens include a topiary frequented by peacocks; audio tour; parking; holiday cottage; picnic area

Knebworth House and Gardens
Hertfordshire
Eastern Counties
Near Stevenage, off the A1 or B656 south from Hitchin
By rail from King's Cross, London, Stevenage station is two miles from the house
Tel. 01438 812 661
Open: times vary week to week, month to month and are different in different years; check website for full details and to be sure no events being held
Historic Houses Association member; orignal red brick Tudor house, now a high Gothic fantasy house; Victorian and Edwardian gardens-250 acres; park with trees and deer; special events include many rock concerts so important to check before visiting; shop; parking; adventure playground;
Web: Knebworth House and Gardens

Knightshayes Court
Devon
South-west Counties
Bolham, Tiverton
Tel. 01884 254 665
Open: house, mid Feb-last week Feb, Sat-Thu, 11am-4pm; mid March-end Oct, Sat-Thu, 11am-5pm; garden, same months and times as house but daily
National Trust property; Victorian country house built by architect William Burges; decorated interiors in gothic revival style; garden with notable plant collection; waterlily pond; topiary; seasonal colour; kitchen garden; restaurant; shop; plant centre; parking

Knole
Kent
South-east Counties
Six miles east of Sevenoaks
Tel. 01732 462 100
Open: house, mid March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, noon-4pm; park, weekends, first week March, 11am-4pm; garden, April-3rd week Oct, Wed, 11am-4pm
National Trust property; one of the 'Treasure Houses of England’; home of the Sackville family since 1603, birthplace of Vita Sackville-West; 13 state rooms; collection of Royal Stuart furniture; 17th century tapestries; important collection of paintings; James II bed; 1000 acre deer park; shop; tea-room; parking-- large fee charged

Lacock Abbey
Wiltshire
South-west Counties
Lacock, a conservation village
Tel. 0 1249 730 459
Open: cloisters, grounds and garden, March-end Oct, daily, 11am-5.30pm; abbey, mid March-end Oct, daily except Tue, 1-5.30pm
National Trust property; abbey founded in 1232, converted into house c1540; medieval cloisters, sacristry, chapter house featured in the Harry Potter films; 16th century stable courtyard with clockhouse, brewery and bakehouse; shop and other facilities in village; Fox Talbot Museum (see our entry under Museums)
For photos and more information see our articles Lacock Abbey
and Lacock village

Lamport Hall and Gardens
Northamptonshire
East Midlands
10 miles north of Northampton, on the A5199 near Brixworth and Kelmarsh, between Rugby and Kettering off the A14
Tel. 01604 686 272
Open: house: Easter-mid Oct, 2.15-5.15pm; check on website for open days which vary greatly
Historic Houses Association member; Grade I listed house; furniture; china; books; plasterwork ceiling; cabinet room; paintings; library; lawns; rockery; Italian garden; alpine garden; herbaceous borders; shrubs; cockpit; tea-room for house visitors only; special events and fairs
Web: Lamport Hall and Gardens

Lanhydrock House
Cornwall
South-west Counties
Bodmin
Tel. 01208 265 950
Open: garden, year round, daily, 10am-6pm; house, March and Oct, Tue-Sun, 11am-5pm; April-end Sep, Tue-Sun, 11am-5.30pm; plant sales, shop, café open same hours but daily; restaurant various times and dates
National Trust property; late Victorian country house with 50 rooms on show; long gallery with plasterwork ceiling; gatehouse; church next to house; servants' quarters; Victorian gardens; magnolias; camellias; rhododendrons; wooded estate; parkland goes down to river Fowey; shop; plant centre; parking; restaurant; snack bar

Leighton Hall
Lancashire
North-west Counties
Three miles north of Carnforth
Tel. 01524 734 474
Open: May-Sep, Tue-Fri, and BH Sun and Mon, 2-5pm; in Aug also on Sun
Historic Houses Association member; 18th century house, historic home of Gillow furniture making family, still lived in; furniture; silver; clocks; 1550 acres; gardens include walled, herb, shrubs, vegetable; maze; woodland walks; Victorian conservatory; plant sales; parking; special events
Web: Leighton Hall

Levens Hall
Cumbria
North-west Counties
Five miles south of Kendal, off the A590/A6
Tel. 0 15395 60321
Open: April-first week Oct, Sun-Thu; gardens, shop and eatery from 10am-5pm, house from noon-4pm (last entry, closes at 4.30pm).
Elizabethan house and Grade I listed building; furniture; paintings; plasterwork; famous yew topiary gardens; beech hedges; rose garden; fountain garden; herb garden; vegetable borders; orchard; steam engine collection; shop; plant centre; children’s play area; estate walks in the deer park
Web: Levens Hall

Little Moreton Hall
Cheshire
North-west Counties
Four miles south-west of Congleton
Tel. 01260 272 018
Open: first two weeks March and Nov-3rd week Dec, weekends, 11am-4pm; mid March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm; by guided tour
National Trust property; black and white half-timbered moated building; built c 1450-1580; long gallery; wall paintings; cobbled courtyard; knot garden; shop; restaurant; special events; parking

Locksmith’s House
Greater Birmingham
West Midlands
54/56 New Road, Willenhall
Walsall, near Birmingham
Tel. 01902 634 542 (Wed & Sat only); at other times 0121 557 9643 and hold for the operator
Open: Wed and Sat, 12-4pm
Perfectly preserved locksmith's house and workshop; displayed as family lived in early 1900s; much original furniture and belongings; lock making workshop; gas lit parlour, bedroom and kitchen; laundry and scullery; access to first floor of house up flight of steep stairs

Longleat
Wiltshire
South-west Counties
Longleat, off the A36 near Warminster
Tel. 01985 844 400
Open: house, year round, daily (except 25 Dec), 11am-3pm, by tour on the hour weekdays and on half hour weekends; all other attractions, mid March-end Oct, daily, 10am-5pm; also first week March weekend, one week Feb, daily; for full details see website
Historic Houses Association member; house is high Elizabethan architecture; state rooms; great hall; dining room; saloon; grand staircase; 7 libraries; furniture, paintings, fireplaces, dresses, ceramics; 900 acre parkland landscaped by 'Capability Brown'; safari park; boats; mazes; petting zoo; railway; exhibitions; Postman Pat village; butterfly garden; events; parking; five shops; two restaurants
Web: Longleat

Longner Hall
Shropshire
West Midlands
Uffington, off the B4380
Tel. 01743 709 215
Open: April-end Sep, Tue and BH Mon, 2-5pm; tours at 2 and 3.30pm
Historic Houses Association member; house designed by John Nash in 1803 in Tudor gothic style; stained glass; fan vaulting; landscaped park by Repton; parking

Longthorpe Tower
Cambridgeshire
Eastern Counties
On the A47, 2 miles west of Peterborough
Tel. 01536 203 230
Open: April-end Sep, noon-5pm, Sat, Sun and BH Mon
English Heritage property; finest example of 14th century wall paintings in Britain; no parking

Loseley Park House and Garden
Surrey
South-east Counties
Stakescorner Rd, just south of Guilford
Tel. 01483 304440
Open: house, May-Aug, Tue-Thu, Sun and BH Mon, 1-5pm, by guided 45 minute tour only; grounds, garden, shop and tea-room, May-Sep, Tue-Sun and BH Mon, 11am-5pm; shop also open end Nov-two weeks Dec for Christmas shopping
Historic Houses Association member; house built in 1560s for Elizabeth I; great hall with panelling, minstrel's gallery, carvings by Grinling Gibbons, and collection of royal and family portraits; drawing room with gilded ceiling, furniture and fireplace; library; bedrooms on display; walled garden with over 1000 old-fashioned rose bushes; herb garden with over 200 herbs; flower garden with herbaceous plants and bulbs; lake; award winning rose garden; fountain garden; white garden with water feature; organic vegetable garden; wildflower meadow; shop; farm shop; pre-ordered picnic baskets; tea-room; plant sales; events; parking
Web: Loseley Park

Lotherton Hall and Gardens
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Lotherton Lane, Aberford, on the B1217
Tel. 0113 281 3259
Open: house, April-end Oct, Tue-Sat, 10am-5pm; Sun, 1-5pm; Nov, Dec, and March, 10am-4pm; Sun, noon-4pm; gardens and park, daily, 8am-8pm in summer; in winter, daily, 8am-6pm; bird garden, summer, daily, 10am-5pm; winter, daily, 10am-3.30pm
Edwardian and Victorian house with collections of paintings, ceramics, furniture; costume gallery; bird garden; shop; cafe; play area for children; car park

Lydiard House
Wiltshire
South-west Counties
Lydiard Park, Lydiard Tregoze, Swindon
Tel. 01793 770 401
Open: March-end Sep, Tue-Sun, 11am-5pm, Nov-Feb, 11am-4pm
Restored Georgian mansion set in 18th century parkland originally a deer park; many original contents; lake; woodland; ornamental walled garden; children's play areas; Grade II listed coach house; St Mary's historic church by the house has monuments
Web: Lydiard Park and House

Lyme Park
Cheshire
North-west Counties
Disley, Stockport
Tel. 01663 762 023 or 01663 766 492 (infoline)
Open: park: daily, April-mid Oct, 8am-8.30pm; mid Oct-end Jan, 8am-6pm. house: first week March, weekends, 11am-5pm; mid March-end Oct, Fri-Tue, 11am-5pm; garden: same as house first week March; mid March-end Oct, daily, 11am-5pm; Nov-3rd week Dec, weekends, 11am-3pm
National Trust property; Tudor original house evolved in 1720s into Italian style palatial house; elaborate staterooms; Mortlake tapestries; collection of clocks; long gallery; library; rose garden; conservatory; ancient deer park with 18th century hunting tower; moorland; Victorian garden with sunken parterre; Edwardian rose garden; orangery; borders; restaurant; plant sales; coffee shop; shop; parking (expensive); special events

Lytes Cary Manor
Somerset
South-west Counties
Near Charlton Mackrell, Somerton
Tel. 01458 224 471
Open: mid March-end Oct, Sat-Wed, 11am-5pm
National Trust property; manor house; former home of 16th century herbalist with information on his plant directory; 14th century chapel; 15th century great hall; refurbished in 20th century; Arts and Crafts style garden with outdoor rooms, topiary, statues and herbaceous borders; waymarked estate walks; parking; spring plant fair

Mapledurham House and Watermill
Oxfordshire
South-east Counties
Mapledurham, 4.5 miles from Reading
Tel. 0118 972 3350
Open: Easter-end Sep, Sat, Sun and BH, 2-5.30pm
Late 16th century Elizabethan home with original plaster ceilings, oak staircase, private chapel and paintings; working 15th century watermill; 13th century church; parking
Web: Mapledurham House

Mapperton House and Gardens
Dorset
South-west Counties
Beaminster (signed from the town)
Located on minor road off B3163
Tel. 0 1308 862 645
Open: house, third week June-end July and BH June-Aug, weekdays, 2-4.30pm or by appt; gardens and church, March-end Oct, daily except Sat, 11am-5pm; Sawmill cafe from March-Sep, daily except Saturday 11am-5.30pm
Historic Houses Association member; Elzabethan house of yellow Ham stone, one of oldest in Dorset and named Nation’s Finest Manor House in May 2006 by Country Life magazine; listed in Domesday book, added to and remodelled over the centuries; dovecote; stables; 12th century All Saints church with nave rebuilt 1704; café; Italianate garden; 17th century fishponds; topiary; orangery; woodland garden; countryside walks; parking
For photos and more information on Hardy see our article at Thomas Hardy’s Dorset
Web: Mapperton

Marble Hill House
London
Greater London
Richmond Rd, Twickenham
Tel. 020 8892 5115
Open: April-end Oct, Sat 10am-2pm, Sun and BH, 10am-5pm
English Heritage property; Palladian villa begun 1724 for mistress of George II; 66 acres of grounds; collection of Georgian paintings; parking; café

Markenfield Hall
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Ripon
Tel. 0 1765 692 303
Open: 2 weeks in May and June, daily, 2-5pm; check website for exact dates each year
Historic Houses Association member; moated fortified manor house built c1310; great hall dating from 1280; undercroft; chapel; parking; weddings
Web: Markenfield Hall

Mawley Hall
Shropshire
West Midlands
On A4117, one mile of Cleobury Mortimer
Tel. 01299 270 869
Open: mid April-mid July, Mon and Thu, 3-5pm and by appointment
Grade I listed house built in 1730 in landscaped park; oak drawing room; dining room; plasterwork; collection of furniture and porcelain; lawn; parterres; monuments; herb garden; oaks, beaches and cedars; river walks with water features; parking
Web: Mawley Hall

Max Gate House
Dorset
South-west Counties
Alington Ave, Dorchester
Tel. 01305 262 538
Open: mid March-end Oct, Wed - Sun, 11am-5pm
National Trust property; Victorian home of author Thomas Hardy for 43 years; none of Hardy’s effects or furnishings in the house; designed by him; parking

Medieval Merchant’s House
Hampshire
South-east Counties
58 French St, Southampton
Tel. 02380 221 503
Open: April-end Sep, Sun, noon-5pm
English Heritage property; 13th century merchant’s house; restored to 14th century appearance; replica period furnishings

Melbourne Hall and Gardens
Derbyshire
East Midlands
Church Square, Melbourne
Tel. 01332 862 502
Open: hall, Aug, daily except first 3 Mons, 2-4.15pm; gardens, April-Sep, Wed, Sat, Sun and BH Mon, 1.30-5.30pm
Originally a rectory; oak panelling from 1629; Venetian glasses; portraits; dining room; drawing room; library; 18th century gardens; shop; tea-room
Web: Melbourne Hall

Melford Hall
Suffolk
Eastern Counties
Long Melford, off the A134, 14 miles south of Bury St Edmunds, 3 miles north of Sudbury
Tel. 0 1787 376 395 (infoline) or 0 1787 379 228
Open: house and grounds, April-end Oct, Wed, Thu, Fri, BH, 1-5pm; on weekends from noon 5pm for grounds, noon-1pm only for house
National Trust property; red brick Tudor mansion, little changed since 1579 externally; panelled banqueting hall; Regency library; Victorian bedrooms; furniture and porcelain; small collection of Beatrix Potter memorabilia; 130 acre parkland; Edwardian style garden; specimen trees; banqueting house; interpretation displays; refreshments; small shop; walks; parking
For photos and more information see our article Melford Hall

Merchant’s House
Wiltshire
South-west Counties
132 High St, Marlborough
Tel. 01672 511 491
Open: Easter-end Sep, Fri-Sun, 11am-4pm
Timber and brick 17th century silk merchant's house; wall paintings; 17th century style garden; shop; demonstrations; musical events and concerts
Web: Merchants House

Michelham Priory
East and West Sussex
South-east Counties
Upper Dicker, two miles west of Hailsham, East Sussex
Tel. 01323 844224
Open: March and Nov, Tue-Sun and BH Mon, 10.30am-4.30pm; April, July and Sep, Tue-Sun and BH Mon, 10.30am-5pm; Aug, daily, 10.30am-5.30pm
Historic Houses Association member; on medieval moated island; first a priory then became a farmhouse; tapestries, furniture; 14th century gatehouse; working watermill; garden; great barn; shop, self serve restaurant

Minster Lovell Hall and Dovecote
Oxfordshire
South-east Counties
On edge of village of Minster Lovell near town of Witney
Tel. 023 9258 1059
Open: open site, dovecote exterior only
English Heritage property; extensive ruins of 15th century manor house on banks of river Windrush; hall, tower
For photos and story of the village see our article Minster Lovell

Mirehouse
Cumbria
North-west Counties
Four miles north of Keswick on the A591
Tel. 0 1768 772 287; tearoom: 0 1768 774 317
Open: house, April-end Oct, Wed and Sun (also Fri in Aug), 1.30-4.30pm (last entry 4pm); gardens, grounds, walk, tea-room, April-end Oct, daily, 10am-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; house built in 1666; collection of writers’ manuscripts; Victorian schoolroom, nursery; terraced garden; orchard; ancient wildflower meadow with 43 species; heather path maze; woodland playground; walled garden with honey bee exhibition; Scots pines dating from 1784; collection of rhododendrons and hydrangeas; parking across the road at tea-room—very crowded and busy in high season; walks; playground, walks; old sawmill by the parking lot now a tearoom; very busy site--parking tight
Web: Mirehouse

Moggerhanger Park
Bedfordshire
Eastern Counties
Moggerhanger, Bedford
Tel. 01767 641007 for bistro reservations and further information
Open: daily, 1st week June-mid-Sep; snowdrop weekends in Feb, bluebell walk in April; guided tours, 11am-4pm and evenings after 5pm (must be prebooked); daily public tours (on a drop-in basis), noon and 2.30pm; for individual tour times check the website; woodland walks, daily, 11am-4pm; tea-room, daily, 11am-4pm; bistro bar, Thu and Fri evenings; phone first
Grade I listed Georgian country house designed by Sir John Soane; set in 33 acre estate; grounds and gardens; walled garden, ice house; used as a conference centre
Web: Moggerhanger Park

Mompesson House
Wiltshire
South-west Counties
Cathedral Close, Salisbury
Tel. 0 1722 335 659 or 0 1722 420 980 (infoline)
Open: mid March-end Oct, Sat-Wed, 11am-5pm; garden and tea-room same as house
National Trust property; 18th century house and small walled garden with herbaceous borders; period furniture; Turnbull collection of 18th century drinking glasses; featured in film Sense and Sensibility; street parking only or city centre pay car park; shop in the town High St; tea-room
For photos and more information see our article Mompesson House

Montacute House
Somerset
South-west Counties
Montacute
Tel. 01935 823 289
Open: house, mid March-end Oct, Wed-Mon, 11am-5pm; park, year round, daily; garden, March-mid March, and Nov-3rd week Dec, Wed-Sun, 11am-4pm; mid March-end Oct, Wed-Mon, 11am-6pm
National Trust property; Elizabethan Ham-stone house; chimneys, parapets, plasterwork, heraldic glass; longest long gallery in Europe; staterooms with 17th and 18th century furniture and textiles; National Portrait Gallery exhibition; formal gardens; roses; topiary; park; walks; shop; restaurant; plant sales; parking

Moseley Old Hall
Staffordshire
West Midlands
Moseley Old Hall Lane, Fordhouses, Wolverhampton
Tel. 01902 782 808
Open: entry noon-1 pm, by guided tour only, others times by self-guided tour; March-end Oct, Wed, Sat, Sun, Wed, BH Mon and following Tue, noon-5pm; also open on Tue, 3rd week July-first week Sep; Nov-mid Dec Sun, noon-4pm
National Trust property; Elizabethan house with original interiors and panelled walls; priest hiding places; exhibition on Charles II who hid here; herb and plant garden in 17th century style; knot garden; arbour; walk; shop; plant sales; tea-room; parking-narrow lanes and tight corners

Mottisfont Abbey and Garden
Hampshire
South-east Counties
Four miles north of Romsey, signed off A3057
Tel. 01794 340757 or 01794 341 220 (infoline)
Open: house, March-end Oct, daily except Fri (open Fri in April, May and June), 11am-5pm; gardens open March-3rd week Dec, daily except closed Fri in March and May and July-end Oct, open weekends only in Nov and Dec, 11am-5pm except until 8pm in June and 4pm Nov and Dec; check website for exact dates
National Trust property; set in river Test valley; 12th century Augustinian priory turned into a house; walled garden has National Collection of Old-fashioned roses (visit in June); drawing room decorated by Rex Whistler; collection of 20th century art; old dining room; shop, bookshop; plant sales; cafe; film about estate and rose garden; parking

Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park
Cornwall
South-west Counties
Cremyll, Torpoint, Rame peninsula
Tel. 01752 822 236
Open: House and garden, April-end Sep, Sun-Thu and BH Mon, 11am-4.30pm (group bookings in March and Oct); country park all year, daily, 8am-dusk
18th century former home of earls of Mount Edgcumbe; paintings and tapestries; Grade I Cornish Gardens; 865 acres country park with pool, bronze age burial ground, 1545 blockhouse, 1788 church, folly, 1755 temple, orangery, stables, and more; national collection of camellias in the garden; cruises on river Tamar available; pay and free car parks various places; tea-room and restaurant; exhibitions; events; shop
Web: Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park

Muncaster Castle
Cumbria
North-west Counties
On the A595 near Ravenglass
Tel. 0 1229 717 614
Open: castle: last week Nov-Christmas eve, 1-3pm; April-Oct, Sun-Fri, noon-4.30pm 1pm to 4pm Feb half term); grounds and castle late openings for special events; gardens, children’s indoor meadow vole maze: daily Nov-end Dec, first two weeks Feb and first 3 weeks March, 11am-4pm; April-Oct, daily, 10.30am-6pm (last admission 5pm)
Castle from 1208, still lived in by Pennington family; pele tower added to and turned into home; medieval great hall; 1800 acre estate with countryside walks; 77 acres of woodland gardens; azaleas, and camellias; bluebells in spring; plant centre; Victorian style garden with herbaceous flowering plants; Europe's oldest collection of rhododendrons; 12th century church; meadow vole maze; restaurant; bed and breakfast rooms; parking; special night event Darkest Muncaster on most Sat and Sun evenings from Oct-March, excluding Jan--phone for full details
Web: Muncaster Castle

Newburgh Priory
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Coxwold, between Thirsk and York
Tel. 01347 868 372
Open: April-end June, Wed and Sun; house, 2.30-4.45pm; garden, 2-6pm; house tours every ½ hour; both open May BH
Burial place of Oliver Cromwell; named after 1145 priory originally on the site; Elizabethan furniture; portraits; water garden; walled garden; topiary; woodland walks; parking
Web: Newburgh Priory

Newby Hall
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Four miles south-east of Ripon
Tel. 0 1423 322 583; 0 845 450 4068 (estate office)
Open: April-end Sep, Tue-Sun plus Mon in July and Aug; house, noon-5pm; garden, 11am-5.30pm
Historic Houses Association member; 17th century Georgian house with plaster ceilings; Chippendale furniture; sculpture; Gobelin tapestries; 25 acres of gardens; herbaceous borders; park; lake; miniature railway; river; children's adventure garden; rock garden; woodland; shop; plant centre; special events; picnic area; parking; restaurant
For more information see our article Historic Homes of North Yorkshire
Web: Newby Hall

Newstead Abbey
Nottinghamshire
East Midlands
Newstead Abbey Park, on the A60, 12 miles north of Nottingham
Tel. 01623 455 900
Open: house, April-end Sep, noon-5pm, last admission 4pm; grounds, year round (except last Friday in November and Christmas Day), 9am-6pm or dusk whichever is earlier
Home of Lord Byron; originally an abbey founded 1170; 13th century west front of church survives as does monastic chapter house; period rooms; tapestries; armour; antique furniture; 330-acre park; lakes; ponds; 17th century walled garden; 1800s fern garden, rockery, sub-tropical garden, Spanish garden and Japanese garden; walled rose garden; cafe; shop; parking

Norton Conyers
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Four miles north of Ripon
Tel. 0 1765 640 333
Open: garden, 2-5pm, scattered days in May, July and Aug; phone for exact dates
Historic Houses Association member; late medieval manor house with Stuart and Georgian additions; 18th century plaster ceilings; used as model for the house in Jane Eyre; hall; dining room; parlour; library; bedrooms; 18th century garden; orangery; herbaceous borders; yew hedges; parking

Nostell Priory
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Doncaster Rd, Nostell, off the A638, south-east of Wakefield
Tel. 0 1924 863 892
Open: house, mid March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 1-5pm; also second week Dec, noon-4pm; parkland, year round, daily, 9am-7pm; grounds, March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 11am-5.30pm; second week Dec, daily, 11am-4.30pm; Nov, Sat and Sun, 11am-4.30pm
National Trust property; 18th century house; Chippendale furniture; state rooms by Robert Adam; art collection; library; plaster ceilings; 300 acre parkland; lakeside walks; rhododendrons; azaleas; magnolia avenue; gardens; children's adventure play area; special events; shop; plant sales; tea-room; exhibitions; parking, fee charged For more information see our article Historic Homes of South and West Yorkshire

Number 78 Derngate, a Charles Rennie Mackintosh house
Northamptonshire
East Midlands
Northampton, town centre, near Derngate Theatre, entrance through 82 Derngate
Tel. 01604 603 407
Open: Feb-3rd week Dec, Tue, 1-5pm; Wed-Sun and BH, 10am-5pm, last entry 3.30pm; allow 1.5 hours if taking guided tour
Video, guided tour, exhibition of house remodelled in 1916-17 by Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh for Northampton businessman Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke; Number 82 houses Dining Room restaurant, gallery, and shop. Number 80 is modern gallery with exhibition about Number 78
Web: 78 Derngate

Nunnington Hall
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Nunnington, near York
Tel. 01439 748 283
Open: mid March-end May and Sep-Oct, Tue-Sun, noon-5pm; June-end Aug, Tue-sun, noon-5.30pm
National Trust property; Tudor/Jacobean 17th century house added on to; great staircase; panelled hall; beams; attics; collection of doll house rooms; organic garden; walled garden; orchards; peacocks; shop; plant sales; art and photography exhibitions; parking

Octavia Hill's Birthplace House
Cambridgeshire
Eastern Counties
8 South Brink Place, Wisbech
Tel: 01945 476 358
Open: mid March-end-Oct, Sat-Wed, 1-4.30pm
National Trust property; 1740 Grade II* listed Georgian house; birthplace of Octavia Hill, social-reformer and co-founder of the National Trust; features include a Victorian Chamber of Horrors and one of Octavia’s “outdoor sitting rooms” in the “secret” garden; exhibition on life of the poor; shop
Web: Octavia Hill Birthplace House

Old Gorhambury House
Hertfordshire
Eastern Counties
Two miles west of St Albans
Tel. 01727 843 675 for appt to view
Open: May-end Sep, Thu, 2-5pm; drive to mansion and walk across the gardens; footpath open anytime
English Heritage property; remains of 1563-8 Elizabethan house; two storey porch, parts of chapel, clock tower, and hall survive

Old House, The
Herefordshire
West Midlands
High Town, Hereford
Tel. 01432 260 694
Open: all year, Tue-Sat, 10am-5pm; Apr-Sep, also on Sun and BH Mon, 10am-4pm
One of group of 1621 row houses; museum with the interior set up to reflect a home of the 17th century; free admission

Old Soar Manor
Kent
South-east Counties
1 mile east of Plaxtol, just south of the A25 off A227 east of Sevenoaks
Tel. 01732 810 378
Open: April-end Sep, Sat-Thu and BH, 10am-6pm
National Trust property; remains of late 13th century knight’s house; first floor solar, chapel, and vaulted undercrof survive; limited parking

Oliver Cromwell's House
Cambridgeshire
Eastern Counties
29 Mary Street, Ely
Tel. 0 1353 662 062
Open: April-end October, daily, 10am-5pm; Nov-end March, 11am-4pm; closed 25,26 Dec and 1 Jan
Re-created rooms from the time Cromwell lived here; Tourist Information Centre and shop in the building; use city car parks--all are free
Web: Oliver Cromwell’s House

Ormesby Hall
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Church Lane, Ormesby, 3 miles south-east of Middlesbrough
Tel. 01642 324 188
Open: mid March-end Oct, Sat and Sun, 1.30-5pm
National Trust property; 18th century house; plasterwork; carved wood decoration; portraits; Victorian laundry and kitchen; stable block; garden; tea-room; parking

Osborne House
Isle of Wight
South-east Counties
On the main road (A3021) from the ferry at East Cowes
Tel. 01983 200 022
Open: April-end Sep, daily 10am-6pm; Oct, daily, 10am-4pm; Nov-end March, Wed-Sun, 10am-4pm by prebooked guided tour
English Heritage property; holiday home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert; Italianate gardens; walled garden; summerhouse; museum; Swiss cottage; wildflower meadow; 342 acre estate; restaurant; exhibition; picnic area; children's play area; cafe; shop; parking

Osterley Park and House
London
Greater London
Jersey Rd, Isleworth (west London)
Tel. 01494 755 566 (info line)
Open: park, year round daily, 8am-7pm, except closes early Jan-March and Nov-Dec; house, noon-3.30pm, daily in March, until 4.30pm April-end Oct; weekends Nov-mid Dec; times for café, garden and shop vary--check the National Trust website or telephone info line for full details
National Trust property; 300 acres of parkland; 1760s house designed by Robert Adams; AV presentation; below stairs area; special events; café; shop; parking; reached from London via Piccadilly underground to Osterley station, house is .5 mile walk

Owlpen Manor
Gloucestershire
South-west Counties
Half mile east of Uley, off B4066, in own valley
Tel. 0 1453 860 261
Open: May-end Sep, 2-5pm, Tue, Thu and Sun; no BH openings
Historic Houses Association member; Tudor manor house dating from 1450-1616 with minor early 18th century changes; Tudor great hall; Jacobean wing with solar; early Georgian little parlour and doorcase of 1719; great chamber with wall hangings; Arts and Crafts restoration in 1926; Mander family collections; panelling; furniture; textiles; formal gardens on seven 16/17th centuries hanging terraces; topiary yews; box parterres; old roses; mill pond; 1728 grist mill and Victorian church on estate; walks on estate; bluebells in spring; parking; restaurant (sometimes closed to public—phone first)
Web: Owlpen Manor

Oxburgh Hall and Estate
Norfolk
Eastern Counties
Oxborough, King's Lynn
Tel. 01366 328 258
Open: house, mid March-end July and Sep, Sat-Wed, 1-5pm; Aug, daily, 1-5pm; Oct, Sat-Wed, 1-4pm; gardens, Nov-3rd week Dec, Jan-1st week March, weekends 11am-4pm; mid March-end July, and Sep, Sat-Wed, 11am-5pm; Aug, daily, 11am-5pm; Oct, Sat-Wed, 11am-4pm
National Trust property; 15th century red brick moated manor house; secret doors and priest's hole; Tudor gatehouse; Mortlake tapestries; embroidery by Mary Queen of Scots and Bess of Hardwick; Victorian French parterre; walled orchard; kitchen garden; Catholic chapel; woodland walks; shop; plant sales; tea-room; parking

Packwood House
Warwickshire
West Midlands
Lapworth, Solihull (by Baddesley Clinton House), 2 miles east of Hockley Heath
Tel. 01564 783 294
Open: park, year round, daily; house and garden, 2nd week Feb-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm
National Trust property; interiors from 1920s but house existed in 1600s; 16th century textiles; panelling; furniture; flower garden; borders; yew garden; lakeside walk; shop; plant sales; parking

Parham House and Gardens
East and West Sussex
South-east Counties
Storrington, near Pulborough on the A283, West Sussex
Tel. 01903 744 888
Open: house: Easter Sun-end Sep, Wed, Thu, Sun and BH Mon, 2-5pm; also open Tue and Fri in Aug. gardens, Tue-Fri, Sun and BH Mon, noon-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; Elizabethan mansion set in 300 acre deer park; long gallery; great hall; great parlour; paintings; textiles; early needlework; furniture; garden; shop; tea-room
Web: Parham House and Gardens

Paycocke’s
Essex
Eastern Counties
West St, Coggeshall, Colchester,signposted off A120
Tel. 01376 561 305
Open: April-mid Oct, Tue, Thu, Sun and BH Mon, 2-5pm
National Trust property; late gothic merchant house dated 1500; panelling; woodcarving; lace; cottage garden; parking at Grange Barn-.5 mile or on town street

Peckover House and Garden
Cambridgeshire
Eastern Counties
Wisbech, on the north bank of river Nene
Tel/Fax. 01945 583 463
Open: House, mid March-end Oct, Mon, Tue, Wed, Sat, Sun, BH Mon, 1-4.30pm; garden same days and months, noon-5pm
National Trust property; Georgian townhouse built 1722; home to Quaker banking family; three floors include servant quarters; plaster and wood rococo decoration; Victorian walled garden; conservatory; ferns; orangery; hardy palms; summerhouse; roses; spring bulbs; herbaceous borders; 17th century thatched barn; Georgian stables; shop; restaurant; parking at Chapel Rd car park (250 yds)

Pencarrow House and Gardens
Cornwall
South-west Counties
Bodmin
Tel. 01208 841 369
Open: house, Easter-mid Oct, Sun-Thu, 11am-5pm; house by guided tour starting 11.15am; gardens, March-end Oct, same days and times
Historic Houses Association member; lived in home; music room with rococo ceiling; drawing room; dining room; family portraits; 50 acres of formal and woodland gardens; conifers; rhododendrons; camellias; cafe; shop; plant sales; parking
Web: Pencarrow

Penshurst Place and Gardens
Kent
South-east Counties
Penshurst, near Tunbridge Wells
Tel. 01892 870 307
Open: times vary greatly for each attraction depending on months of the year so check website for full details
Medieval house; hall with 60ft high roof; state rooms; furniture and porcelain collections; long gallery; tapestries; paintings; 11 acre formal walled garden; bulbs; roses; herbaceous borders; yew hedges; playground; woodland trails; shop; toy museum; parking
Web: Penshurst Place

Petworth House and Park
East and West Sussex
South-east Counties
Petworth, West Sussex
Tel. 0 1798 342 207; info-line 0 1798 343 929
Open: For opening times and prices, please see the website:
Petworth House
National Trust property; 17th century mansion in 700 acre deer park, landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown; state rooms with large art collection; furniture and carvings by Gibbons; servants’ quarters; kitchen with 1000 copper pieces; rotunda in grounds; shop; plant sales; restaurant; parking
For photos and more information see our article Petworth House

Polesden Lacey
Surrey
South-east Counties
South of Great Bookham near Dorking
Tel. 01372 452 048
Open: garden, daily, all year, 11am-5pm except 4pm Nov-mid Feb; house, mid March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm
National Trust property; nine rooms with collections of paintings, furniture, porcelain and silver; 1400 acres of grounds include a 30-acre Edwardian garden with roses, lawns, and landscaped walks
For photos and more details see our article Polesden Lacey

Port Eliot House and Park
Cornwall
South-west Counties
St German
Five minute walk from St German train station
Tel. 0 1503 230 211
Open: March-June, Sat-Thu, 2-6pm; last admission 5pm; check exact dates on website
A monastic port in the Middle Ages (garden once a port); 10th century walls; 13th century windows; redone in 18th century by Sir John Soames includes conservatory; morning room; major makeover again in 19th cen; below stairs rooms; hall; dining room; round room with mural; 18th cen boat house; rhododendrons; summerhouses; fountains; ponds; orangery; lunches and teas in converted stables; parking; special events; weddings
Web: Port Eliot

Powderham Castle
Devon
South-west Counties
Kenton, Exeter, EX6 8JQ
(Access from A379, 6miles south-west of Exeter, 4miles south of M5/J30)
Tel. 0 1626 890 243
Open: castle by guided tour only; April-end Oct, daily except Sat, 11am-4.30pm, till 5.30 mid July-end Aug; guided tours begin 11.15 am and run approximately every 30-45 minutes
Victorian restoration of 14th century castle; woodlands; chapel; restaurant; walled garden has animal pets for children and picnic area; shops; parking
For photos and more information see our article Powderham Castle
Web: Powderham Castle

Prebendal Manor House
Northamptonshire
East Midlands
Nassington, 6 miles north of Oundle, 9 miles west of Peterborough
Tel. 0 1780 782 575
Open: April, Sun, 2-5pm; May-end Sep, Wed and Sun, 2-5pm; also BH Mon
Grade I, 13th century manor house with 15th century dovecote; tithe barn; 14th century re-created gardens and grounds; medieval fish ponds; audio tape of house history; drinks and desserts served in the barn
For photos and interesting information see our article Prebendal Manor House
Web: Prebendal Manor House

Preston Manor
East and West Sussex
South-east Counties
Preston Drove, two miles north of Brighton, East Sussex
Tel. 01273 292 770
Open: April-end Sep, Tue-Sat, 10am-5pm; Sun, 2-5pm
Edwardian country home; 20 rooms on show include upstairs and 'downstairs' rooms; 13th century parish church; walled garden; pet cemetery; shop; parking
Web: Preston Manor

Prideaux Place
Cornwall
South-west Counties
Padstow
Tel. 01841 532 411
Open: 2nd week May-second week Oct, Sun-Thu, grunds, 12.30-5pm; house, 1.30-4pm by tour
Historic Houses Association member; house dates from Elizabethan times; reputed to be haunted; woodland walks; lime avenue; formal garden; deer park; tea-room; parking
Prideaux Place

Priest’s House
Somerset
South-west Counties
Muchelney, Langport
Tel. 01458 253 771
Open: mid March-end Sep, Sun and Mon, 2-5pm by guided tour
National Trust property; medieval hall house, little altered since 17th century built in 1308 for parish priest; gothic doorway; tracery windows, 15th century stone fireplace; house occupied by tenants; no parking

Ragley Hall
Warwickshire
West Midlands
One mile south-west of Alcester
Tel. 01789 762 090
Open: house and state rooms, mid March-end Oct, Sun, 11am-4pm; gardens, park, wood and sculpture park, mid March-end Oct, Sat and Sun, 11am-4pm; daily during school holidays; closed Nov-March
Historic Houses Association member; 1680 Palladian house; art; furniture; porcelain; great hall with plasterwork; painted staircase hall; saloon; dining room; carriage collection; rose garden; formal Victorian flower garden; bulbs; woodland walks; meadow; 400 acre parkland designed by 'Capability Brown'; children's play area; special events; parking
Web: Ragley Hall

Red House
London
Greater London
Greater London
Red House Lane
Bexleyheath, DA6 8JF
Tel. 020 8304 9878 (tour bookings)
Open: March-3rd week Dec, Wed-Sun, 11am-4.45pm, before 1pm by guided tour only, must be pre-booked (between 9.30am-1.30pm Tue-Sat)
National Trust property; only house built especially for designer William Morris; house was the inspiration for his products for his design firm; garden; stables; exhibition room; tea-room; no parking (use Danson Park car park 1 mile away)
Read our review William Morris and Red House

Restoration House
Kent
South-east Counties
17-19 Crow Lane, Rochester
Tel. 0 1634 848 520
Open: June-end Sep, Thu and Fri, 10am-5pm; see website for additional times
Historic Houses Association member; surviving part of a pre Civil War townhouse; combination of two medieval buildings; noteworthy interiors; Charles II stayed eve before his restoration to throne; walled garden; boxwood parterre; herbaceous border; fountain; pond; greenhouse; topiary; use town car park
Web: Restoration House

Rode Hall
Cheshire
North-west Counties
Church Lane, Scholar Green, 5 miles south-west of Congleton
Tel. 01270 873 237
Open: April-end Sep, Wed and BH; garden, Tue-Thu, 2-5pm; snowdrop walk in Feb, Tue-Sun, noon-4pm; house, April-Sep, Wed and BH, 2-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; 18th century brick house; furniture by Gillow; 18th century porcelain; family portraits; park; lake; woodland garden; rock garden; grotto; rose garden; walled kitchen garden; tea-room; plant sales
Web: Rode Hall

Rodmarton Manor
Gloucestershire
South-west Counties
Off the A433 near Cirencester
Tel. 01285 841 422
Open: snowdrops in Feb; house and garden, Easter Mon, May-end Sep, Wed, Sat, and BH, 2-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; Arts and Crafts house and furniture; 8 acre garden; herbaceous borders; snowdrops in Feb; roses; topiary; tea and coffee; parking
Web: Rodmarton Manor

Rokeby Park
Durham
North-east Counties
3 miles south-east of Barnard castle, on the north side of the A66
Tel. 01609 748 612
Open: end May-end Aug, Mon and Tue, 2-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; 18th century Palladian country house; paintings; library; music room; saloon; period furniture; garden; parking
Web: Rokeby Park

Royal Crescent No. 1
Somerset
South-west Counties
No. 1 Royal Crescent, Bath
Tel. 0 1225 428 126
Open: Tue-Sun and BH Mon, 10.30am-5pm
Perfectly restored 1674-1774 townhouse; furniture; porcelain; glassware; no parking, use city car parks
Web: Bath Preservation Trust

Rufford Old Hall
Lancashire
North-west Counties
200 Liverpool Rd, Rufford, near Ormskirk
Tel. 01704 821 254
Open: house and garden, first week March weekends only 11am-5pm; house then open mid March-end Oct, Sun-Wed, 11am-5pm, also open Sat 1-5pm; garden, mid March-end Oct, Sat-Wed, 11am-5pm, Nov-3rd week Dec, Fri-Sun, noon-4pm
National Trust property given by Lord Hesketh in 1936; 16th century black and white timber building; great hall with notable hammerbeam roof and large ‘moveable’ screen; Shakespeare performed here for the then owner, Sir Thomas Hesketh; carved screen; oak furniture; arms; armour; tapestries; seven hectares of gardens; topiary; sculpture; woodland walk along a canal; pigs, ducks, sheep and other animals of particular interest to children; special events; tea-room was original old kitchen, uses local produce; shop in former stable block; parking

Rydal Mount
Cumbria
North-west Counties
On the A591, 1½ miles north of Ambleside
Tel. 0 1539 433 002
Open: March-end Oct, daily, 9.30am-5pm (subject to change at any time without prior notice); Nov-Dec and Feb, Wed-Sun, 11am-4pm; tea-room, March-end Oct, 10am-4pm
Home of William and Dorothy Wordsworth and family dating from 1813-60; overlooks Windermere and Rydal Water; family bedrooms and study on view; four acre garden; fell-side terraces include rock pools, ancient Norse Mound, rare shrubs, daffodils, and bluebells; site of Dora’s field of daffodils in spring; garden; tea-room; limited free parking
Web: Rydal Mount

Samlesbury Hall
Lancashire
North-west Counties
Preston New Rd, Samlesbury, Preston
Tel. 0 1254 812 010
Open: Sun-Fri, 11am-4pm; sometimes closed on Fri for weddings
HHA member; half timbered black and white 1325 house; interior has archives, art, and shops; restaurant; cafe; five acres of grounds; animal farm; parking
Web: Samlesbury Hall

Sandringham
Norfolk
Eastern Counties
On the B1440, north-east of King’s Lynn
Tel. 01553 772 675 or 01553 612 908
Open: house, museum, and gardens, April-mid July and early Aug-end Oct; house, 11am-4.45 pm (4pm in Oct); gardens, 10.30am-5pm (4pm in Oct); check website for exact dates that vary each year; country park open site year round
Holiday home of the Royal family in 60 acres of grounds; built 1870; dining room, drawing room, and two parlours on view; walled garden; pleached lime avenue; museum of vintage royal cars; church of St Mary Magdalene in grounds has carved and painted angels and Royal memorials; 600 acre country park across the road from the house; shop; tea-room and restaurant; plant centre; parking; April-Oct tractor/trailer tours of the estate
Web: Sandringham Estate

Scampston Hall and Garden
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Scampston, near Malton
Tel. 0 1944 759 111
Open: walled garden, walks and grounds, April-end Oct, Tue-Sun and BH Mon, 10am-5pm; house, end May-end July, Tue-Fri, Sun, BH Mon, by guided tour at 1, 2, and 3pm
Historic Houses Association member; late 17th century house remodelled and redecorated several times; Regency interiors; collection of paintings, furniture and porcelain; park with 10 acres of lakes designed by 'Capability Brown'; woodland walks; Palladian bridge; traditional garden; walled garden; restaurant; parking; courses and special events.
Web: Scampston Hall

Seaton Delaval Hall
Northumberland
North-east Counties
Seaton Sluice, on the A190 3 miles from Whitley Bay
Tel. 0191 237 1493
Open: May and Aug BH Mons, 2-6pm; June-end Sep, Wed and Sun, 2-6pm
Built 1718 through 1728 (English baroque house); designed by Sir John Vanbrugh; turreted center and arcaded wings; stables and two rooms open; coach house; restored icehouse; gardens; statues; topiary; fountain; pool; walks; Norman church

Shakespeare Birthplace Exhibition and Visitor Centre
Warwickshire
West Midlands
In grounds of Shakespeare’s birthplace, Henley St, Stratford-upon-Avon
Tel. 0 1789 204 016
Open: April-June and Sep-Oct, daily, 9am-5pm; July-Aug, until 6pm; Nov-March, 10am-4pm
Birthplace of Shakespeare and where he spent first five years of married life; visual exhibiton called Life, Love and Legacy: A New Introduction to William Shakespeare; presents 5 zones with artefacts including original 1623 First Folio
Web: Shakespeare

Shakespeare's Houses
Warwickshire
West Midlands
Stratford-upon-Avon
Tel. 01789 204 016
Open: different times depending on house and season of year; check website for all details
Locations are Shakespeare’s birthplace, Anne Hathaway Cottage, Mary Arden House and Museum, Nash’s House and New Place, and Hall’s Croft
Web: Shakespeare

Shandy Hall
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Coxwold
Tel. 01347 868 465
Open: May-end Sep, Wed 2-4.30pm; Sun, 2.30-4.30pm; garden on Sun-Fri, 11am-4.30pm
Timber framed medieval priest's house (15th century) extended in the 17th century; scene of the writing of the books Tristram Shandy and A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne; first editions of his work and personal papers on view in the study; walled garden of old-fashioned roses; wild garden

Shaw's Corner
Hertfordshire
Eastern Counties
Ayot St Lawrence, west of Welwyn on the A1, south-west end of the village
Tel. 01438 820 307 or -1438 829 221 (infoline)
Open: house, mid March-end Oct, Wed-Sun and BH Mon, 1-5pm; garden, mid march-end Oct, Wed-Sun, noon-5.30pm; on busy days, timed tickets are used
National Trust property; Arts and Crafts home of playwright George Bernard Shaw for more than 40 years; built in 1902; many of his possessions still in place; garden with hut where he wrote; orchard; flower meadow; rose dell; herbaceous beds; events; plants sales; parking

Sherborne New Castle
Dorset
South-west Counties
Cheap St, Sherborne
Tel. 0 1935 813 182
Open: April-end Oct, castle, gardens, shop, tearoom, daily except Mon and Fri, 11am-4.30pm; castle interior, Sat afternoon, 2pm-4.30pm
Historic Houses Association member; rectangular, four storey house with hexagonal corner turrets; built by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594 with wings added in 1620s; medieval kitchens; library; drawing room; ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped grounds and added lake in 1753; picnic in grounds; lakeside walk; tree collection; water birds; spring bulbs; tea-room; shop; events; parking
Web: Sherborne Castle

Shibden Hall and Park
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Lister’s Rd, Shibden Park, Halifax, west Yorkshire
Tel. 0 1422 352 246 / 321 455
Open: March-end Nov, Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm; Sun, noon-5pm; Dec-Feb, Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm, Sun, noon-4pm
15th century, half-timbered manor house with early 19th century extensions; fake gothic renovations; 90 acre landscaped park; oak furniture and artefacts; 17th century tithe barn; agricultural and craft exhibitions; dairy; forge; brewhouse

Shipton Hall
Shropshire
West Midlands
Seven miles south-west of Much Wenlock
Tel. 01746 785 225
Open: Easter-end Sep, Thu, 2.30-5.30pm; also Sun and Mon BH; by guided tour
Historic Houses Association member; Elizabethan house with Georgian additions; rococo interiors added by Thomas Pritchard; monastic dovecote; Georgian stables; old walled garden; parking

Shugborough Working Historic Estate and House
Staffordshire
West Midlands
Milford, near Stafford
Tel. 01889 881 388
Open mid March-end Oct, daily, 11am-5pm
National Trust property maintained by Staffordshire County Council; 18th century home of royal photographer Lord Lichfield; private rooms; photographic collection; servants' quarters; restored kitchens; brewhouse; walled garden; ice cream parlour; train rides; Georgian farm; walks in grounds; historic brewery; adventure playground; medieval packhorse bridge; working historic watermill; working dairy; working kitchen; working laundry; shop; tea-room; parking (charge but refunded on ticket purchase)
Web: Shugborough

Sion Hill
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Kirby Wiske, near Thirsk
Tel. 01845 587 206
Open: April-Oct, by pre booked ticket only, please contact house for details
Historic Houses Association member; country house designed 1912 in Edwardian style; porcelain, paintings, clocks, and furniture collections; parlor; kitchen; dining room; parking
For more information see our article Historic Homes of North Yorkshire
Web: Sion Hill Hall

Sledmere House
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Driffield, East Yorkshire, off the A166, ½ hour drive from York
Tel. 01377 236 637
Open: May-end Sep, Tue-Fri and Sun, house, 11am-3.30pm, grounds 10am-5pm; also open a few days in March and April, check website for exact dates
Historic Houses Association member; 18th century house; plaster decorated interior; hall; drawing room; music room; parkland designed by ‘Capability’ Brown; walled rose gardens; parterre; fountain; summerhouse; knot garden; shop; events; cafe; picnic area; parking
Web: Sledmere House

Smallhythe Place
Kent
South-east Counties
Smallhythe, two miles south of Tenterden
Tel. 01580 762 334
Open: 1st week March, Sat and Sun, 11am-5pm; mid March-end Oct, Sat-Wed, 11am-5pm
National Trust property; 16th century timber framed home of famous Shakespearean actress Ellen Terry from 1899-1928; her theatre collection and costumes are in the house; cottage garden; rose garden; orchard; nuttery; daffodils in the spring; wildflowers; theatre holding exhibitions and performances; refreshments; road lay-by parking

Snowshill Manor
Gloucestershire
South-west Counties
Snowshill, near Broadway
Tel. 01386 852 410
Open: house, mid March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, noon-5pm; garden, mid March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 11am-5.30pm
National Trust property; golden yellow Cotswold manor house with extensive collections of 22,000 objects of many different kinds; Arts and Crafts style garden with different "rooms"; shop; plant sales; restaurant; parking with walk along country path to house

Soho House
Greater Birmingham
West Midlands
Soho Ave, Handley, Birmingham
Tel. 0 121 554 9122
Open: Easter-end Oct, Tue-Sun, 11.30am-4pm
Restored 18th century home; period rooms and displays
Web: Birmingham Museums

Somerleyton Hall
Suffolk
Eastern Counties
Five miles northwest of Lowestoft on the B1074
Tel. 0871 222 4244
Open: April-end Oct, Thu, Sun and BH; Tue and Wed in July and Aug; gardens, 10am-5pm; hall, 11.30am-4pm
Historic Houses Association member; Tudor-Jacobean manor remodeled in 1844; entrance hall, library; ballroom; dining room; orangery; tearoom; grounds; 12 acres of gardens; walled garden; sunken garden; yew hedge; maze; glasshouses; loggia; rhododendrons; azaleas; specimen trees; events; tea-room; picnic areas; parking
Web: Somerleyton Hall

Southwick Hall
Northamptonshire
East Midlands
3 miles north of Oundle
Tel. 0 1832 274 064
Open: BH Sun and Mon, March, April, May and Aug, 2-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; built in 1300; hall; study; parlour; gothic room; oak room; vaulted room; crypt; exhibitions on Victorian and Edwardian life; collections of tools and archaeological finds; exhibitions of period rooms; garden; grounds
Web: Southwick Hall

Speke Hall, Garden, and Estate
Merseyside/Liverpool
North-west Counties
The Walk, by Liverpool John Lennon Airport, north bank of Mersey river
Tel. 0 151 427 7231
Open: house, mid March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 1-5.30pm; Nov-mid Dec, weekends, 1.-4.30pm; grounds, mid March-end Oct, daily, 11am-5.30pm; Nov-end Jan, Tue-Sun, 11am-dusk; Home Farm and restaurant varying days; check website for details
National Trust property; Tudor half-timbered house; great hall and priest's hole of 16th century; Victorian oak parlour ; plasterwork; carved furniture; Victorian kitchen and servants' hall; gardens; spring bulbs; roses; summer borders; woodland walks; orchard; children's play area; Home Farm; restaurant; shop; parking

Spencer House
London
Greater London
27 St James Place, by St James Park, off St James St
Tel. 020 7499 8620 for details of guided tour times
Open: Sunday only by guided tour
18th century townhouse built in 1756-66 for the first Earl Spencer (ancestor of Diana, princess of Wales)
For photos and more details see our article Spencer House

Squerryes Court and Gardens
Kent
South-east Counties
Near Westerham
Tel. 01959 562 345
Open: Easter Sun-end Sep, Wed, Sat, Sun and BH Mon, 12.30-4.30pm; garden, Easter Sun-end Sep, Wed, Sat, Sun and BH Mon, 11.30-4.30pm
Historic Houses Association member; 17th century house; furniture; Old Master paintings; 10 acres of gardens and grounds
Web: Squerryes

St Mary’s House and Gardens
East and West Sussex
South-east Counties
Bramber, W Sussex
Tel. 0 1903 816 205
Open: May-end Sep, Sun, Thu, BH Mon, 2-6pm; groups by appointment
15th century timber framed house; panelled rooms; Elizabethan painted room; on view are entrance hall, drawing room, monk’s parlour, music room, king’s room and others; five acres of gardens include animal topiary, rose garden, terrace and Victorian secret garden; concerts; wedding venue; shop; tea-room; parking
Web: St Mary’s House and Gardens

St Michael's Mount
Cornwall
South-west Counties
On its own island, reached by causeway at low tide or boat shuttle at high tide, from Marazion, near Penzance; steep climb to castle
Tel. 01736 710 507; 01736 710 265 (for tide information)
Open: mid March-end June, and Sep-end Oct, Sun-Fri, 10.30am-5pm; July-end Aug, Sun-Fri, 10.30am-5.30pm
Oldest buildings are 12th century; named for Benedictine priory once here; rooms from different eras; 1750s gothick style drawing room; hillside garden; shop; plant sales; restaurant; public car parks on mainland, fee charged

Standen
East and West Sussex
South-east Counties
West Hoathley Rd, 2 miles south of East Grinstead, West Sussex
Tel. 01342 323 029
Open: first week March, weekends, 11am-4.30pm; mid March-3rd week July, and Sep-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 11am-4.30pm; third week July-end Aug, Wed-Mon, 11am-4.30pm; Nov-3rd week Dec, weekends, 11am-3pm
National Trust property; 1890s Arts and Crafts house; Morris & Co interiors; original electric light fittings; hillside garden; woodland walks; restaurant; shop with Arts & Crafts merchandise; plant sales; parking

Stanford Hall
Leicestershire
East Midlands
Lutterworth, near Rugby north of the A14 and east of the M1 near jct 19
Tel. 01788 860 250
Open: two weeks at Easter and on special event days (see website); also open for pre-booked groups
Historic Houses Association member; built in the 1690s; ballroom; dining room; bedrooms; library with 5000 books and old manuscripts, family portraits, costumes and collections; royal Stuart portraits; walled rose garden; church; shop; cafe; craft centre; parking
Web: Stanford Hall

Stansted Park House and Grounds
East and West Sussex
South-east Counties
Stansted Park, Rowlands Castle, Stansted Park Rd, W Sussex
Tel. 0 2392 412 265
Open: House--Easter Sun-end Sep, Sun, Mon, Tue, and Wed, 1-5pm, last admission 4pm; grounds, gardens and arboretum, year round, 9am-5pm but restricted access in winter; for other attraction details see website
Early 1900s house built on footprint of 17th century one that burned down; state rooms; furnished servants quarters; tapestries, Irish furniture, family portraits; chapel of St Paul has stained glass windows; walled garden; arboretum; light railway; garden centre; tea-room; parking; shop; wedding venue; special events
Web: Stansted Park and House

Stokesay Court
Shropshire
West Midlands
Onibury, near Craven Arms
Tel. 0 1584 856 238
Open: by tour only; exact dates on the website; grounds open for those participating in tour; book tour by phone or email from website
Victorian house with mostly unaltered interior; central block with three wings
Web: Stokesay Court

Stoneleigh Abbey
Warwickshire
West Midlands
Two miles east of Kenilworth
Tel. 01926 858 535
Open: Good Fri-end Oct, west wing and stables, Tue-Thu, Sun, and BH, by guided tour at 11am and 1 and 3pm; grounds, 11am-4pm
Founded during Henry II’s reign by monks; 18th century Baroque rooms with original pieces of furniture; medieval gatehouse; gothic revival Regency stables; Jane Austen stayed here and used room descriptions in 2 novels; 690 acre parkland; gardens originally designed by Repton; river Avon flows through grounds; tea-room; special events; parking
Web: Stoneleigh Abbey

Stonor House
Oxfordshire
South-east Counties
North-west of Henley-on-Thames
Tel. 0 1491 638 587
Open: April- mid Sep, Sun and BH Mon; July and Aug, Sun and Wed; house, 2-4.30pm; garden 1.4.30pm
Historic Houses Association member; lived in by the same family for over 800 years; sited in wooded valley; rare furniture; portraits; tapestries; bronzes; ceramics; 14th century chapel; hillside garden with daffodils in spring; 17th century walled Italiante pleasure garden with ponds, terraces, clipped box hedges, ancient yews, and summer house; irises; old fashioned roses; peonies; honeysuckles; clematis; lavenders; ancient fallow deer; shop; teas; parking
Web: Stoner House

Stourhead House and Gardens
Wiltshire
South-west Counties
Stourton, near Warminster
Tel. 01747 841 152
Open: house, mid March-end Oct, Fri-Tue, 11am-5pm; garden, all year, daily, 9am-6pm; shop and restaurant daily all year, times vary according to season, check NT website for full details
National Trust property; famous 18th century landscape gardens (1741-1780)and Palladian mansion; lake; classical temple and follies; exotic trees; vistas; paths; countryside walks; house has Chippendale furniture collection, paintings, library; exhibtion area; special events; shop; restaurant; parking

Stowe House
Buckinghamshire
South-east Counties
Stowe House, Buckingham MK18 5EH
Tel. 0 1280 818166 (24-hour information line)
Tel. 0 1280 818229 (office hours)
Open: throughout the year, Wed-Sun; closed sometimes (see website for details); 2pm tour most days when house is open
Neo-classical palace; begun by Sir Richard Temple in 1676; 400 rooms; front is 270 metres (880ft) wide; library has 750 mahogany bookshelves and 15,000 gold leaves used in its original decoration
Website: Stowe House

Sudbury Hall and Museum of Childhood
Derbyshire
East Midlands
Sudbury, Ashbourne
Six miles east of Uttoxeter and the A50/A515 junction
Tel. 01283 585 337 or 01283 585 305 (infoline)
Open: hall, April-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 1-5pm; grounds, mid March-3rd week Dec, daily, 10.30am-5pm; museum, April-end July, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm; Aug-first week Sep, daily, 11am-5pm; 2nd week Sep-end Oct, Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm; 1st week Nov-3rd week Dec, weekends, 10.30am-3.30pm
National Trust property; 17th century house with outstanding plasterwork; Gibbons woodcarvings; great staircase; 1930s kitchen; walk by lake and boathouse; shop; tea-room; church; Museum of Childhood with displays of childhood toys and themes which focus on childhood work, home, school, babyhood, and stories; interactive displays; temporary exhibitions; shop; tea-room; parking

Sulgrave Manor
Northamptonshire
East Midlands
Manor Rd, Sulgrave
Off the B4525 near Banbury
Just south of Canons Ashby
Tel. 0 1295 760 205
Open: April-Oct, Sat, Sun, BH, 11am-4pm; May-end Oct, Tue-Sun, 11am-4pm; house by guided tour only noon, 2pm, 4pm and last 1.25 hours
Small limestone manor-house, dating from c 1500; home of ancestors of first US president, George Washington; great hall; screen passage; great kitchen; great chamber; Tudor and Queen Anne wings; restored in 1929; gardens in grounds include National Herb Society garden, rose garden, herbaceous borders, orchard; forge; brewhouse exhibition on George Washington; parking; light refreshments only; picnic area; shop
Web: Sulgrave Manor

Sutton Park
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Sutton-on-the Forest, on the B1363
Tel. 01347 810 249
Open: house, Easter-end Sep, Wed, Sun and BH Mon, 1.30-5pm; garden, Easter-end Sep, daily, 11am-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; early Georgian (18th century) brick home; plasterwork; collections of furniture, paintings, porcelain, needlework, and beadwork; gardens; herbaceous rose borders; woodland walks; tea-room; parking
Web: Sutton Park

Tabley House
Cheshire
North-west Counties
Knutsford (1 mile west on the A5033)
Tel. 01565 750 151
Open: April-end Oct, Thu-Sun and BH Mon, 2-5pm
Grade I Palladian mansion completed 1769; entrance hall; drawing room with plasterwork; parlour with plasterwork; dining room; oak hall; gallery; furniture from 17th-20th centuries; paintings in state rooms; 17th century St Peter's chapel moved in 1927 from island in Tabley mere ; tea-room; parking
Web: Tabley House

Taplow Court
Berkshire
South-east Counties
Near Maidenhead, Berkshire
Tel. 0 1628 591 209
Open: grounds, March-end Sep, Sun and BH Mon, 2-5.30pm; tel for house open times; groups at other times by appointment
Historic Houses Association member; Jacobean house of early 17th century remodelled by earls of Orkney in 18th century; neo-Norman hall of particular note; 7th century Saxon burial mound in churchyard; views of the Thames from the grounds; land formerly owned by monks of Merton Priory

Tatton Park
Cheshire
North-west Counties
Knutsford, 4 miles south of Altrincham, near the A5034 and A50
Tel. 01625 374 400 or 01625 374 435 (infoline)
Open: park, year round, April-end Sep, daily, 10am-7pm, from Oct-end March, Tue-Sun, 10am-5pm; house, April-end Sep, Tue-Sun, 1-5pm; gardens, Oct-Jan,Tue-Sun, 11am-4pm; April-Oct, Tue-Sun, 10am-6pm; farm, April-end Sep, Tue-Sun, 9am-5pm; from Oct-end March, weekends only, 11am-4pm; restaurant year round, check website for details
Tudor Old hall (open to groups only) and Regency manor house, begun in 1780; dining room; drawing room; bedrooms; collections of Baccarat glass, porcelain, paintings, and Gillow furniture; 'below stairs'tour; 50 acres of gardens; kitchen garden; conservatory; beech maze; fernery; rose garden; Italian garden; Japanese garden; 1000 acre deer park; two meres with fishing and sailing; playground; picnic areas; home farm with rare breed animals; retail shops in stableyard; restaurant; special events; parking
Web: Tatton Park

Temple Newsam House
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Temple Newsam Road, off the A63 Selby Road, five miles from city centre of Leeds in suburban area
Tel. 0113 264 7321
Open: Nov-March, Tue-Sat, 10am-4pm, on Sun from noon; April-end Oct, until 5pm, on Sun 1-5pm
Birthplace of Lord Darnley, husband of Mary Queen of Scots; Jacobean/Tudor house, little altered; great hall; plasterwork; important decorative art collection; tea-room; shop

Townend
Cumbria
North-west Counties
Troutbeck, south end of village
Tel. 0 1539 432 628
Open: last week March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, and BH Mon; house, 1–5pm; 11am-1pm house by hourly guided tour only; garden, same months and days as house, 11am-5pm
National Trust property; 17th century furnished yeoman’s home; farmhouse kitchen; domestic tools; carved furniture; cottage garden; plant sales

Treasurer’s House
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Minster Yard, York
Tel. 01904 624 247
Open: mid March-end Oct, daily except Fri, 11am-4.30pm; Nov, daily except Fri, 11am-3pm
National Trust property; townhouse dating from medieval times; once home to treasurers of York Minster; restored with 16-20th century room decor; sunken garden; herb garden; special exhibitions and events; ghost tours; tea-room; no parking; public car park nearby

Trerice
Cornwall
South-west Counties
Kestle Mill, near Newquay
Tel. 01637 875 404
Open: house--first week March-end Oct, daily except Fri, 11am-5pm; great hall open two weeks in Dec, Fri-Sun, 11am-4pm; garden, shop and tea-room—same as great hall in Dec and same days as house March-end Oct, 10.30am-5pm
National Trust property; Elizabethan manor house, little changed; small garden with rare and unusual perennials, shrubs and climbers; fruit orchard; tea-room serving Tudor recipes; tea garden; shop; plant sales; children’s activities; parking

Turton Tower
Yorkshire
North-east Counties
Chapeltown Road, Turton Nr Bolton Yorkshire
Tel. 0 1204 852 203
Open: March, April and Oct, Mon-Wed, and Sat-Sun noon-4pm; May-Sep, same days, noon-5pm
Tudor house evolved over five centuries; original 1420 stone tower; set in woodland gardens; interior rooms designed for each period the house existed; collection of period oak furniture and paintings; family events; tea-room; shop; parking

Uppark House and Garden
East and West Sussex
South-east Counties
South Harting, on the B2146, near Petersfield, West Sussex
Tel. 0 1730 825 415
Open: house, mid March-end Oct, Sun-Thu, 12.30-4.30pm; garden, shop and restaurant, mid March-end Oct, Sun-Thu, 11.30am-5pm; open BH Sun and Mon
National Trust property; 18th century house much destroyed by 1989 fire, now restored; detailed exhibition on the fire, restoration of the house and techniques used; paintings; furniture; ceramics; servant's quarters; garden restored in early 19th century Picturesque style; woodland walks; grounds; shop; restaurant; plant sales; parking

Upton Cressett Hall
Shropshire
West Midlands
Upton Cressett, 4 miles west of Bridgenorth off A458, Shropshire
Tel. 0 1746 714 308
Open:April-end Sep, Wed and BH Mon, 11.30am-5pm, Sat, 2-5pm; in June, July. Aug also open Thu 11.30am-4.30pm
Orignal 15th century timbered hall house encased in brick c1580; neglected, restored 1971, now surviving are two bays of aisled hall and cross-wing, 17th century stair-case, inglenook fireplace, gatehouse with Elizabethan plasterwork; church on lawn (Churches Conservation Trust); formal gardens; tea-room; parking
Web: Upton Cressett Hall

Upton House and Gardens
Warwickshire
West Midlands
Seven miles from Banbury
Tel. 01295 670 266
Open: house: March-end Oct, Sat-Wed, 1-5pm; also daily from mid July-end Aug; Nov-3rd week Dec, weekends, noon-4pm; garden: March-end Oct, Sat-Wed, 11am-5pm; also daily mid July-end Aug; Nov-3rd week Dec, Sat-Wed, noon-4pm; Christmas hols, daily, noon-4pm
National Trust property; built in 1695 of local stone, remodeled in 1920s; collections of Chelsea figures, Old Master paintings, Sevres porcelain, 18th century furniture, and 17th century Brussels tapestries; lawns; terraces; orchard; herbaceous borders; spring flowering bulbs; colourful narcissiborders; flowering shrubs; kitchen garden; ornamental pools; water garden; national collection of asters; exhibition room; restaurant; shop; plant sales; parking

Vyne, The
Hampshire
South-east Counties
Sherborne St John, Basingstoke
Tel. 01256 883 858
Open: house, mid March-end Oct, weekends, 11am-5pm; also Mon-Wed, 1-5pm; grounds, Feb-end frist week March, weekends, 11am-5pm; mid March-end Oct, Sat-Wed, 11am-5pm
National Trust property; 16th century house visited three times by king Henry VIII; chapel; family collection of portraits, textiles, sculpture and furniture; grounds; gardens; walled garden with glasshouse; ornamental lake; summerhouse; woodland walks; wetlands area with birdhide; shop; plant sales; restaurant; special events; parking

Waddesdon Manor
Buckinghamshire
South-east Counties
Waddesdon, near Aylesbury
Tel. 01296 653 211 (infoline) or 01296 653 226
Open: house: by timed ticket only, 3rd week March- last week Oct, Wed-Fri and BH Mon, noon-4pm; weekends, 11am-4pm; Christmas season opening of house, mid Nov-3rd week Dec, various days and times; check website for full details; gardens: Feb-mid March, weekends, 10am-5pm; 3rd week March-3rd week Dec, Wed-Sun, 10am-5pm; Christmas hols, Sat-Wed, 10am-5pm; Jan, weekends, 10am-5pm
National Trust property; house built 1874-1889 in 16th century French chateau style; vast collection of Rothschild family art treasures including furniture, carpets, portraits, porcelain, and silver dinner service made for George III; shop; grounds; Victorian gardens; rose garden; aviary with exotic birds; coach house; woodland playground; shops; restaurants; parking
For photos and more details see our article Waddeson Manor and Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild of Waddesdon Manor
Web: Waddesdon Manor

Wallington
Northumberland
North-east Counties
Cambo, Morpeth, north-west of Belsay
Tel. 01670 773 600
Open: grounds: year round, daily, dawn-dusk; walled garden: April-end Sep, daily, 10am-7pm; Oct until 6pm; Nov-March until 4pm; house: mid March-end Sep, Wed--Mon, 1-5.30pm; Oct closes at 4.30pm
National Trust property; 17th century manor house, extended in the 18th; Palladian exterior; rococo plasterwork; collections of ceramics and paintings and Victorian doll houses; walled garden; parkland with water features, lakes, sculptures, buildings, and wildlife hide; walks; shop; plant sales; farm shop; restaurant; parking

Warton Old Rectory
Lancashire
North-west Counties
Warton, 1 mile north of Carnforth
Tel. 0161 2421400
Open: April-end Sep, daily, 10am-6pm; Oct-end March, daily, 10am-4pm
English Heritage property; large 14th century stone house; great hall; chambers

Washington Old Hall
Tyne and Wear (Tyneside)
North-east Counties
The Avenue, Washington Village, Washington
Tel. 0191 4166 879
Open: mid March-end Oct, Sun-Wed, 11am-5pm; garden same as house
National Trust property; stone 17th century manor house, part of which is home of ancestors of first US president, George Washington; displays on George Washington and hall history; collections of delftware, oil paintings, and carved oak furniture,; tea-room; Jacobean garden; nuttery; small car park beside hall or park on street

West Wycombe Park
Buckinghamshire
South-east Counties
West Wycombe, at west end of village
Tel. 01494 513 569 or 01494 755 571 (infoline)
Open: house and grounds: June-end Aug, Sun-Thu, 2-6pm; grounds only: April and May, 2-6pm, Sun-Thu
National Trust property; perfectly preserved rococo landscape garden; circular walks; neo-classical mansion, created in mid 18th century by Sir Francis Dashwood; exerior of house in Italianate style; interior with Palmyrene ceilings and decoration; pictures, furniture, sculpture of 18th century; parking

Weston Park
Shropshire
West Midlands
Weston-under-Lizard, near Shifnal
Tel. 01952 852 100
Open: gardens: daily from last week May-first weekend Sep, in Aug except one week--check website for exact dates each year, 10.30am-6pm, last admission 4.30pm; house, Sun-Fri, 1-5pm, last admission 4.30pm; park 11am-6.30pm, last admission 5pm
Historic Houses Association member; built in 1651; collection of tapestries, fine art, and porcelain; 1000 acres of parkland, woodland, and grounds landscaped by Capability Brown; formal terraces; sunken Italian garden; Victorian orangery; rose walk; pleasure grounds; church; 1770 bridge; pool; restaurant and coffee bar; shop; special events; adventure playground; parking
Web: Weston Park

Whitmore Hall
Staffordshire
West Midlands
Whitmore, Newcastle-under-Lyme
Tel. 01782 680 478
Open: May-end Aug, Tue, Wed, 2-5pm, by guided tour
Historic Houses Association member; Grade I listed building is Carolinian manor house; home park; lime avenue; gardens; Elizabethan stable block

Wightwick Manor
Staffordshire
West Midlands
Wightwick Bank, Wolverhampton
Tel. 01902 761 400
Open: March-end Oct, Wed-Sun, garden 11am-6pm, house 12.30-5pm; Nov-Christmas week, weekends only; admission by timed ticket only on day of visit
National Trust property; Arts and Crafts interior with original William Morris wallpapers and fabrics; pre-Raphaelite paintings; Kempe glass; de Morgan tileware; 17 acre garden; exhibition; tea-room; William Morris shop; parking 120 yards

William Wordsworth House
Cumbria
North-west Counties
Main St, Cockermouth
Tel: 0 1900 824 805
Open: house, mid March-end Oct, Sat-Wed, 11am-5pm; shop, mid March-Dec 23, daily, 10am-5pm, Nov-23 Dec, daily, 10am-4.30pm
National Trust property; late Georgian style townhouse; birthplace of poet William Wordsworth; displays, costumed guides; tea-room; shop; no parking on site, use town centre carpark
Web: Wordsworth House

Wilton House
Wiltshire
South-west Counties
Wilton, Salisbury
Tel. 01722 746 720
Open: grounds: April-end Sep, daily, 11am-5.30pm; house: April-end Aug, Sun-Thu, noon-5pm; Sep, Tue, Wed, Thu, noon-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; 17th century state apartments; single and double cube rooms; cloisters; fine art collection; kitchen; laundry; AV presentation; rose garden; Japanese water garden; woodland walk; riverside walk; Palladian bridge; adventure playground; restaurant; parking
Web: Wilton House

Wingfield Manor
Derbyshire
East Midlands
Off the B5035, .5 mile south of Wingfield village
Tel. 01773 832 060; to book tour 01246 857 436
Open: by prebooked guided tour on first Sat of month, April-Sep
English Heritage property; huge ruined 15th century manor house; undercrofted great hall; high tower; when owned by Bess of Hardwick's husband was one of the prisons for Mary Queen of Scots; no parking, by foot only

Wingfield Old College and Gardens
Suffolk
Eastern Counties
Wingfield, signed off the B1118 south-east of Diss, and the B1116 at Fressingfield to the east
Tel. 01379 384 888; to book tour: 01206 769 607
Open: by 2.5 hour guided prebooked tour only; April, June, July, Sep, some months on Thu, others on Sat, 2-6pm
Timber framed family home (once a college) with Georgian facade; medieval great hall; art; ceramics and textiles; 14th century collegiate church; walled gardens; medieval fishponds; wildflower meadows; woodland walks; parking

Witley Court and Gardens
Worcestershire
West Midlands
Great Witley, off the A443, 10 miles north-west of Worcester
Tel. 01299 896 636
Open: April-end May, and Sep-end Oct, daily, 10am-5pm; June-end Aug, daily, 10am-6pm; Nov-end Feb, Wed-Sun, 10am-4pm; March, Wed-Sun, 10am-5pm
English Heritage property; ruined (1937 fire) 19th century mansion set in large landscaped grounds; statues; stone fountains; pond; parterre garden; woodland walks; contemporary garden; church with baroque interior and paintings; audio tour; tea-room; shop; parking
For photos and more information see our article Witley Court

Woburn Abbey
Bedfordshire
Eastern Counties
Woburn, on the A4012, south-west of Bedford, just south of Milton Keynes;
from the east take A507 over motorway junction 13 to the A4012
Tel. 01525 290 666
Open: abbey: mid March-end Sep, daily, 11am-4pm; deer park, also open Oct-Dec, daily, 10am-5pm; for exact details see website
Historic Houses Association member; state dining room; Queen Victoria bedroom; silver and gold vaults with family collection; 3000-acre deer park with 10 species; one of most important private art collections in the world; French and English 18th century furniture; safari park; special events include Woburn Garden show and craft fairs; shop; parking
Web: Woburn Abbey

Wolterton Park
Norfolk
Eastern Counties
Near Eppingham village, off the A140
Tel. 01263 584 175
Open: park, daily, 9am-dusk; hall, mid April-end Oct, Fri, 2-5pm
Historic Houses Association member; 18th century hall; park with lake; parking

Woodchester Mansion
Gloucestershire
South-west Counties
Five miles south of Stroud on the B4066, exact directions on website
Tel. 01453 861 541
Open: Easter-end Sep, Sun and 1st Sat month and BH weekends; 11am-4pm, by guided tour only
Woodchester Mansion Trust property; fascinating unfinished mansion abandoned by builders in 1870s; bats in attic seen by camera; 400 acre landscaped park (NT property); shop; walks; tea-room; parking
For full details and photos see our article at Woodchester Mansion
Web: Woodchester Mansion

Woolsthorpe Manor
Lincolnshire
East Midlands
23 Newton Way, Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, Grantham
Tel. 01476 860 338
Open: house and science centre, March and Oct, Sat and Sun, 1-5pm; April-end June and Sep, Wed-Sun, 1-5pm; July and Aug, Wed-Fri, 1-5pm and weekends, 11am-5pm
National Trust property; 17th century farmhouse; birthplace of Isaac Newton; exhibition and science centre; exhibitions; orchard; parking