Stately Homes
Richly furnished with antique masterpieces - the Heart of The Shires has some of the most famous Stately Homes in England.
Longleat House
Chatsworth House
Beaulieu House
Coughton Court
Althorp Estate
[family home of Princess Diana]
BEAULIEU HOUSE
Beaulieu is one of Britains most popular attractions, offering something of interest for everyone. You can delve into the history of the Montague family in Palace House. Visit the National Motor Museum with its priceless collection of more than 250 historic vehicles. Join in the fun on a whole host of rides and drives.
For a more peaceful experience, relax in the glorious Gardens with their spreading lawns, walkways and Victorians' Garden. Then step back in time in the Abbey with its exhibition of Monastic life.
Beaulieu offers a truly eventful day out for the whole family.
ALTHORP ESTATE
Since the tragic death of Diana, Princess of Wales, Althorp has become a house known across the world. Visitors to Althorp are invited to view the House, Grounds and the acclaimed Exhibition celbrating the life of a woman who captivated the world.
"As a memory to Diana, the Althorp Pilgrimage is perfection. It is
relevent in ways that no other memorial can be. The pilgrimage walk is beautiful and very English, simple,
dignified, natural and touched with melancholy."
Evening Standard, 6th August, 1998.
LONGLEAT HOUSE
Longleat House, a magnificent Elizabethan property, celebrated its 50th Anniversary of being open to the public in 1999.
Built by Sir John Thynne, it has been the home of the same family ever since. The house contains many treasures including paintings by Tintoretto and Wootton, Lord Baths murals, Flemish tapestries, French furniture as well as elaborate ceilings by Crace incorporating paintings from the "School of Titan".
In the grounds are the famous Safari Park, the worlds longest Hedge Maze, an Adventure Castle, Safari Boats and many other attractions.
COUGHTON COURT
Coughton Court has been the home of the Throckmorton family since the 15th Century. The family were very prominent in the Tudor times and instigators of Catholic emancipation.
The house contains one of the best collections of portraits and memorabilia of one family from the early Tudor times to present day. It is still lived in by the family who built it.
CHATSWORTH HOUSE
1999 marked the 450th Anniversary of the Duke of Devonshires family purchase of the manor of Chatsworth in 1549. For much of the last 3 centuries, the house has been open to the public and in the 50 years since 1949, when it re-opened after the war, there have been more than 15 million visitors to Chatsworth.
The House contains an outstanding collection of works of art, displayed in 26 richly furnished rooms, which is one of the longest routes through any house open to the public.