Treasure Houses of England – National Treasurers series

A strong certainty for inclusion in our National Treasurers series, they are filled with world-renowned collections of art, architecture, and furniture. They often feature sweeping parkland and exquisite gardens. It is often the small family items and stories that really intrigue the visitor and these are ultimately the things they remember.

All this, and they all serve up a mean cream tea as well!

 

Dubbed ‘England’s greatest Elizabethan House,’ Burghley House is a majestic stately home, not unlike Highclere Castle (aka Downton Abbey in the popular TV series).

Burghley is said to be one of the largest and grandest surviving houses from the Elizabethan era. There are 35 main rooms, and 80 lesser rooms on the first two floors of this grand house – 18 of them are open to the public.

The state rooms are breathtaking, with the aptly named Heaven Room being the most impressive of them all. The room has 3D paintings on the walls and ceilings that are absolutely spectacular.

They assault your senses with the classical mythology of gods and goddesses in vibrant technicolour. Queen Victoria was the last person to use this room when she visited in 1844. Don’t miss The Hell Staircase, which is also stunning!

Burghley is famous for its horse trials, which take place every September. These events attract the best horses and riders in the world.

You’ll also find the Gardens of Surprise (be sure to go here), the Orangery Restaurant, a shop, and glorious parkland to explore.

Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 3JY
T 01780 752451
W burghley.co.uk

 

Castle Howard has been the residence of the Howard family for more than three centuries. It was built between 1699 and 1712, and is set in 1000 acres of rolling parkland.

It’s a fantastical building with battlements, a number of domed roofs, and a fairytale appearance. The estate is vast, comprising a Walled Garden, South Parterre, woodland walks, lakes, and an abundance of statues and follies.

Hedgerows of topiary add to the building’s classical appearance and, inside, the state rooms will take your breath away.

 

At Christmas, Castle Howard is decorated for the festive season. The Howard family themselves decorate the glorious building with Christmas trees and ornaments to make you feel all Christmassy and warm!

The magnificent Castle looks particularly eye-catching when adorned with thousands of baubles, wreaths and garlands, dancing in the orange candlelight.

Warming open fires, sparkling tree displays and floral arrangements are all part of the traditional Christmas at Castle Howard.

York YO60 7DA
T 01653 648333
W castlehoward.co.uk

 

Beaulieu is best known as the home of the National Motor Museum, but did you know there’s an Abbey and its former gatehouse, Palace House, too? Today, both are open to the public and Palace House is still a family home.

It was part of the Beaulieu Estate, purchased in 1538 by Sir Thomas Wriothesley following the Dissolution of the Monasteries. You can still see some monastic characteristics inside the house, and there are some separate Abbey ruins to explore outside.

Palace House has been the Montagu family home since 1538 – an exhibition shows how the family has been linked to roalty for more than 800 years.

The property has extensive gardens with a Victorian Flower Garden, a Rose Garden, a Wilderness Garden, a Mill Pond Walk, and an Ornamental Kitchen Garden.

Don’t miss the National Motor Museum, with its mixture of vintage and modern cars as well as some vehicles you might recognise from the movies.

A high-level monorail and veteran 1912 London Bus are an ideal way to see the sights.

New Forest, Hampshire, United Kingdom SO42 7ZN
T 01590 612345
W beaulieu.co.uk

 

Aerial views of Blenheim Palace are nothing short of breathtaking, and the grounds are equally impressive on terra firma too.

Blenheim is a World Heritage site. As with all of the Treasure Houses, public support is so important to its continuing restoration.

There are daily tours available through the Palace State Rooms, private apartments, and you can also take part in a free walking tour to explore the history of the formal gardens.

Want to know what happens on a regular day rather than what’s happened in the past? Blenheim also runs a behind-the-scenes tour on the day-to-day running of such an incredible property.

Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1PP
T 0800 849 6500
W blenheimpalace.com

 

Holkham Hall is a family home belonging to Viscount Coke and it contains numerous treasures from around the world.

Holkham has an amazing marble hall, a statue gallery, and stunning libraries.

It has been visited by royalty many times. Queen Mary was welcomed into the Green State Bedroom, where an 18th-century painting of Jupiter caressing his wife, Juno, was considered too saucy for Her Majesty. It was banished to the attic.

In 1835, Princess Victoria was travelling to Holkham Hall through Kings Lynn. The townsfolk were so delighted to see her in their neighbourhood that they took the horses off her coach, and local men started trying to pull the Queen’s carriage themselves. Princess Victoria was so disturbed by their antics that she and her mother escaped into a nearby house, before being reassured that the men meant no harm, and simply wanted to honour her by pulling her carriage.

Holkham Hall is certainly a stately home fit to receive royalty, with regal state rooms and glorious gardens.

Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk NR23 1AB
T 01328 713111
W holkham.co.uk

 

Hatfield House is a stunning Jacobean building set in beautiful gardens and parkland.

The Sundial Garden is of particular interest because of the unique sundial, which places Hatfield House at the centre of the world. It was commissioned to mark Hatfield House’s 400th anniversary in 2011. The gardens are also host to a sculpture display and there are dozens of butterflies flitting between the flower beds.

In the wider parkland there’s an oak tree planted by the Queen, on the site of an earlier tree under which Queen Elizabeth I heard about her succession to the throne.

The Royal Palace of Hatfield, built in 1497, once stood where Hatfield House stands now.

It was Queen Elizabeth I’s childhood home. In 1608 three sides of the Palace were demolished and the present house was built in its place at a cost of £38,000.

Hatfield House today is known for housing objects and treasures associated with Queen Elizabeth I. Inside the library is a roll of parchment, which displays the coats of arms associated with her lineage, and traces her ancestry back to Adam and Eve!

Finally, don’t miss the Armoury – it’s absolutely stunning.

Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 5NQ
T 01707 287010
W hatfield-house.co.uk

 

At Chatsworth House, we walk through spectacular state rooms where modern art contrasts with classic antiques (which were considered pretty avant-garde in their time).

The ceiling in the entrance hall is stunning, and everything is on a grand scale: chandeliers, paintings, statues, busts and semi-precious stones fill your field of vision.

Outside, the gardens are glorious, with lakes, fountains, and a grotto. There’s a fabulous rock garden, maze, and Chatsworth’s famous cascade waterfall. The gardens are huge and there’s so much to explore – it’s a child’s adventure garden and, of course, there’s a children’s farm next door (Discovery ticket holders only).

Chatsworth, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1PP
T 01246 565300 (24-hour switchboard)
W chatsworth.org

 

Leeds Castle is a fabulous destination for a day out at any time of year. The maze is really tricky – you might not find the centre!

Be sure not to miss the falconry. The birds of prey display is a great opportunity to see owls and falcons in all their glory.

The castle also has gardens, children’s play areas, and beautiful lakes, abundant with wildfowl. Don’t miss the state rooms and exhibitions, either. The incredible interiors remain in exquisite condition, the way their last private owner, Lady Baillie, left them.

Maidstone, Kent ME17 1PL
T 01622 765400
W leeds-castle.com

 

Harewood House is a stunning stately home with an art gallery, a bird garden and fun-filled grounds, big enough to keep you occupied for hours. In the summer there are beekeeping demos, too.

The House dates back to 1759, when Edwin Lascelles, a wealthy West Indian-plantation owner, set about building the perfect home. He employed the 18th century’s most revered craftsmen, including architect, John Carr; furniture maker, Thomas Chippendale; interior designer, Robert Adam; and Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, the period’s most popular landscape gardener.

Visitors today can see the Renaissance masterpieces that the Baron collected, as well as fine art, Sèvres china, and fabulous antiques.

Outdoors, Harewood is a little bit different to many stately homes. It has formal gardens and a bird garden, boasting a diverse collection of exotica, including a greater necklaced laughing thrush, Chilean flamingoes, snowy owls, burrowing owls and penguins.

A great day out for all, then!

Harewood, Leeds LS17 9LG
T 0113 218 1010
W harewood.org

 

The Wrens from the code-breaking team at Bletchley Park billeted at Woburn Abbey during World War II. One of them, Nancy, remembers being reprimanded for sunbathing topless on the Abbey roof. It was distracting the RAF pilots!

According to Nancy, the Abbey is haunted. When they used to do their night checks, the doors would open by themselves.

While spooky stories are debatable, nobody can argue that the beautiful interiors certainly give you goosebumps!

Outside you'll find one of the largest conservation parks in Europe. Woburn's deer park covers 3000 acres and is home to nine species of deer, many of which you can spot while you drive through the grounds along one of the most picturesque roads you'll find.

Alternatively, take in the sights from one of the many footpath routes around the abbey and gardens.

Woburn, Bedfordshire MK17 9WA
T 01525 290333
W woburnabbey.co.uk
 

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