Explore the resting place of the last of Henry VIII’s six wives

Aside from the fact that Katharine Parr lived here after avoiding the chop, this place is also a living, breathing home to the Dent-Brocklehurst family – and home to a rather exciting contemporary art collection. Much of the castle is still inhabited by the ‘Dent-Brocklehursts’ (American-born matriarch Elizabeth Lady Ashcombe and her children, Mark and Mollie), but the 16th-century East Wing – along with the gardens – are still ripe for exploration, with cutting edge sculptures scattered around the grounds.

Sudeley’s survived centuries of drama and intrigue – from Oliver Cromwell’s ravaging to its WW2 transformation into a prison for Italian and German prisoners of war – but these days the only disruption comes from the weddings which regularly take place. Perhaps the glitziest was Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayer’s 2007 nuptials, which saw Elton arrive by helicopter and the Beckhams partying with Hugh Grant. No wonder it’s known as ‘the most romantic castle in England’.