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.
Journey back to the 1920s at Coleton Fishacre
A 1920s Art Deco house and garden in the beautiful Devon countryside.
Location: Kingswear, Devon
Head to Lanhydrock for a splendid woodland picnic
Head to finest house in Cornwall for a relaxing picnic with magnificent panoramic views and 900 acres of parkland and woodland.
Location: Bodmin, Cornwall
Visit a movie star house
Discover Bathsheba's 'Everdene Farm' from Far From the Madding Crowd in Dorset.
Location: Beaminster, Dorset
Explore the UK's first safari park at Longleat
Feed giraffes by hand and walk on the wildside with lemurs at this popular safari park, found in the picturesque grounds of historic Longleat House.
Location: Longleat, Wiltshire
Explore the rooms and grounds of Snowshill Manor
From suits of Samurai armour to antique bicycles of all shapes and sizes, there are about 22,000 reasons to take a nose round Snowshill Manor.
Location: Snowshill, Gloucestershire
Discover all the treasures of Bowood
Explore the historic parklands at Bowood, and uncover a laboratory, a spa, and even a round of golf.
Location: Calne, Wiltshire
Visit one of Capability Brown’s finest landscapes
Celebrate Capability Brown’s tercentenary as you explore 42 acres of Sherborne Castle's beautiful gardens and soak up the beauty, peace and tranquility of this natural setting.
Location: Sherborne, Dorset
Be at one with nature at Dyrham Park
Spend the day navigating nature trails, indulging in a cream tea and exploring 17th century stately home, Dyrham Park.
Location: Bath, Somerset
Visit a Victorian Gothic house and estate
The house near Wraxall in North Somerset is built of two types of Bath Stone, and is bristling with turrets and topped with a gorgeous elaborate roof.
Location: Tyntesfielsd, Wraxall, Somerset
Get lost in Capability Brown’s stunning gardens
Did you know that Bath and the surrounding area is home to five striking gardens designed by England’s greatest gardener Lancelot “Capability” Brown?
Location: Bath, Somerset