Castles and historic properties

Peacocks strut across manicured lawns, children shriek with delight as they try to find their way out of fiendishly difficult mazes, and well-kept gardens dazzle year-round at England’s many historic houses and well-preserved castles. Once inside, enthusiastic curators bring history to life with their expert knowledge and often funny insights into the lives, loves, and artefacts of generations of inhabitants. Castle breaks give you more chances of bumping into the present owners of an English castle, many of whom still live in wings of the properties. Just don’t forget to retrieve your children from that maze before you head home.

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Picture Mr Darcy coming out of the lake

The magnificent house, gardens and deer park at Lyme Park was the filming location for the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice.

Location: Lyme Handley, Cheshire

 

Visit Derby's three National Trust treasures

Derby has a trio of National Trust treasures all within a 10 mile radius, so use the city as your base to explore Calke, Sudbury and Kedleston.

Location: Derby, Derbyshire

 

Explore the ruins of Ashby Castle

Sir Walter Scott’s classic novel of 1819, Ivanhoe featured Ashby Castle as the backdrop to the famous jousting scenes.

Location: Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire

 

How did the leopard get his spots? Visit Rudyard Kipling’s home

Explore Bateman's, the 17th century home of the Jungle Book and The Just So Stories author, nestled in the leafy Sussex Weald.

Location: Burwash, East Sussex

 

Take a tour round Stokesay Court

Stokesay Court was the setting for the mansions scenes in the film version of Ian McEwan's best selling novel, “Atonement”.

Location: Craven Arms, Shropshire

 

Visit the "most popular filming location in the world" in Greenwich, London

Explore the magnificent buildings of the Old Royal Naval College - a film set for major blockbusters including Les Misérables and Cinderella.

Location: Greenwich, London

 

Visit the real Wayne Manor in Nottingham

Wollaton Hall took on a very special role in when it appeared as ‘Wayne Manor’ in The Dark Knight Trilogy.

Location: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

 

Spot Poldark at Chavenage House

Come and see 'Trenwith', the Poldark family home, actually 'played' by Chavenage House in Tetbury and you may spot Aiden Turner as Ross Poldark!

Location: Tetbury, Gloucestershire

 

Alice in Wonderland at Antony House

Just over the Tamar, Antony House was the location for the hit 'Alice in Wonderland' 2010. Here you can explore its formal gardens, sculptures and the National Collection of Daylilies.

Location: Torpoint, Cornwall

 

Discover the real Downton Abbey

Re-enact your favourite scenes from the much-loved period drama at Highclere Castle before retiring to London Lodge, a Georgian Grade II-listed gatehouse on-site.

Location: Highclere, Hampshire

 

Find romance in the depths of Thomas Hardy Country

Enjoy woodland walks and cosy inns, and immerse yourself in the romantic landscape that this renowned writer called home.

Location: Dorset

 

Have yourself a Famous Five adventure

Follow in the footsteps of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five with some castle capers and a seaside adventure by steam railway.

Location: Corfe Castle, Dorset

 

Majestic views at a Corfe Castle picnic

Enjoy breathtaking views at the majestic ruins of Corfe Castle in the perfect idyllic picnic spot.

Location: Corfe, Dorset

 

Visit a movie star house

Discover Bathsheba's 'Everdene Farm' from Far From the Madding Crowd in Dorset.

Location: Beaminster, Dorset

 

Be captivated by the grandeur of Chatsworth

With its palatial surrounds and starring role in Pride & Prejudice, Chatsworth House is one of the Peak District’s most celebrated destinations.

Location: Bakewell, Derbyshire

 

Spend the day playing at Lyme Park, House and Garden

Get transported back to Edwardian times, at the mansion and extensive grounds of Lyme Park.

Location: Disley, Cheshire

 

Step into the magical world of JRR Tolkien

Celebrate this great literary mind by exploring his childhood haunts, the inspiration for literary classics Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.

Location: Birmingham, West Midlands

 

Discover ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ in Yorkshire

Tour Yorkshire writer and vet James Herriot's original home, recreated to look just as it did in the 1940s, in the picturesque town of Thirsk.

Location: Thirsk, North Yorkshire

 

Explore Rottingdean, the home of Rudyard Kipling

Step into the world of Rudyard Kipling by visiting his traditional English gardens in Rottingdean, near Brighton and Hove.

Location: Brighton & Hove, East Sussex

 

Lose yourself within the majestic rooms of Forde Abbey

Pay a visit to Forde Abbey, which was recently the venue for filming a major scene in the 2015 film Far from the Madding Crowd.

Location: Chard, Somerset

 

Go on location with Wolf Hall in Wiltshire

Following the BBC’s TV drama of Wolf Hall, go set-jetting to the Wiltshire TV locations used during filming.

Location: Wiltshire

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