- Heritage

Grimsthorpe Castle, Park & Gardens

Home of the Willoughby de Eresby family since 1516. Examples of 13th century architecture and building styles from the Tudor period. The dramatic 18th century North Front is Sir John Vanbrugh’s last major work. State Rooms and picture galleries with magnificent contents including tapestries, furniture and paintings. Unusual collection of thrones, fabrics and objects from the old House of Lords, associated with the family’s hereditary Office of Lord Great Chamberlain. The Grounds and Gardens 3,000 acre landscaped park with lakes, ancient woods, woodland walk with all-weather footpath, adventure playground. Family cycle trail and cycle hire shop. Park tours in a vehicle with the Ranger. Unusual ornamental vegetable garden and orchard, created in the 1960s by the Countess of Ancaster and John Fowler. Intricate parterres lined with box hedges. Herbaceous border with yew topiary framing views across to the lake. Woodland garden. Groups can explore the park from the comfort of their own coach by booking a one-hour, escorted park tour, with opportunities to discover more about the site of the Cistercian Abbey, the ancient deer parks, historic woodland and extensive series of early tree-lined avenues, Special study days can be booked including ‘How Grimsthorpe Works in the 21st Century’ and ‘Garden Evolution’ days. See website for full programme details…

Doddington Hall & Gardens

Romantic Smythson mansion which stands today as it was built in 1595 with its mellow walled gardens and gatehouse. Never sold since it was built, Doddington is still very much a family home and its contents reflect over 400 years of unbroken family occupation. There is an elegant Georgian interior with fine collections of porcelain, paintings and textiles. The five acres of beautiful gardens contain a superb layout of box-edged parterres filled with bearded Iris in midsummer, sumptuous borders that provide colour in all seasons, and a wild garden with a marvellous succession of spring bulbs and flowering shrubs set amongst mature trees. Exclusive private group visits with guided tours a speciality. Please call the Estate Office to discuss your requirements. Award winning facilities for disabled visitors, include sensory tours of house and gardens for the Visually Impaired; free use of electric buggy and panaoramic tour of upper floors - please call for details. Free audioguides and children’s activity trail. Civil weddings and receptions at Doddington Hall and in The Littlehouse next door. Newly resurrected working walled Kitchen Garden. Farm shop with kitchen garden and local produce plus cafe serving delicious, seasonal and freshly cooked teas and lunches. Open seven days a week, reservations advisable for lunch…

Lamport Hall & Gardens

Home of the Isham family from 1560 to 1976. The 17th and 18th century facade is by John Webb and the Smiths of Warwick. The Hall contains an outstanding collection of furniture, china and paintings including portraits by Van Dyck, Kneller and Lely and other important works of art, many brought back from a Grand Tour in the 17th century. The Library contains books dating back to the 16th century and the Cabinet Room houses rare Italian cabinets. The first floor includes a replicated 17th century bedchamber and a photographic record of Sir Gyles Isham, a Hollywood actor, who initiated the restoration. Refreshments are served in the Victorian dining room. The gardens owe much to the 10th Baronet who, in the mid 19th century, created the famous rockery and populated it with the first garden gnomes. He also made a small Italian garden with a shell fountain, planted herbaceous borders and wisteria, which still thrives today. Other features include an 18th century box bower and a 17th century cockpit. The newly restored 2 acre walled garden, which opened in 2010, now houses one of the largest cutting gardens in England and brings the total area of gardens to over 5 acres. Many of the plants used in the cutting garden were sourced from Piet Oudolf’s Dutch nursery. The Lamport Hall Preservation Trust was formed in 1974 by Sir Gyles to complete the restoration work initiated by him and completed in 2007…

Holme Pierrepont Hall

This charming 16th Century manor house set in thirty acres of Park and gardens with a carved Charles II Staircase, family portraits and furniture is still lived in by descendents of the Pierrepont family. The Ball Room, Drawing Room and Long Gallery are available for functions on an exclusive basis. Filming welcome…

Eastnor Castle

In the style of a medieval Welsh-border fortress, Eastnor Castle was built in the early 19th century by John First Earl Somers and is a good example of the great Norman and Gothic revival in architecture of that time. The Castle is dramatically situated in a 5000 acre estate in the Malvern Hills and remains the family home of the Hervey- Bathursts, his direct descendants. This fairytale home is as dramatic inside as it is outside. A vast, 60’ high Hall leads to a series of State Rooms including a Gothic Drawing Room designed by Pugin, with its original furniture, and a Library in the style of the Italian Renaissance, with views across the Lake. The Hervey-Bathursts have lovingly restored the interiors and many of the Castle’s treasures which have been buried away in the cellars and attics since the Second World War - early Italian Fine Art, medieval armour, 17th century Venetian furniture, Flemish tapestries and paintings by Van Dyck, Reynolds, Romney and Watts and early photographs by Julia Margaret Cameron. Gardens Castellated terraces descend to a 21 acre lake with a restored lakeside walk. The arboretum holds a famous collection of mature specimen trees. There are spectacular views of the Malvern ills across a 300 acre deer park, once part of a mediaeval chase and now designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest…

Hergest Croft Gardens

From spring bulbs to autumn colour, Hergest Croft is a garden for all seasons. Four distinct gardens with over 5,000 rare shrubs and trees are sure to delight everyone. Rhododendrons in Park Wood and azaleas in the Azalea Garden are spectacular in spring. The large Kitchen Garden contains long colourful herbaceous borders, the Rose Garden, Spring Border and unusual vegetables. Autumn colour is superb…

Weston Park

Weston Park is a magnificent Stately Home and Parkland situated on the Shropshire / Staffordshire border. The former home of the Earls of Bradford, the park is now held in trust for the nation by the Weston Park Foundation. Built in 1671 by Lady Elizabeth Wilbraham, this warm and welcoming house boasts internationally important paintings, including work by Van Dyck, Gainsborough and Stubbs, furniture and objets d’art, providing continued interest and enjoyment for all its visitors. Step outside to enjoy the 1,000 acres of glorious Parkland, take one of a variety of woodland and wildlife walks, all landscaped by the legendary ‘Capability’ Brown in the 18th century. Relax in the Stables Coffee Bar with coffee, sandwiches and homemade cake. With the exciting Woodland Adventure Playground, Orchard and Deer Park, as well as the Miniature Railway, there is so much for children to do. The Granary Farm Shop stocks the best in locally produced food and drink and the Art Gallery stages a series of exciting changing exhibitions throughout the year. The Granary Grill, Bar & Restaurant sizzles up lunch and dinner seven days a week and is open all year round…

Hodnet Hall Gardens

The 60+ acres are renowned as amongst the finest in the country. Forest trees provide a wonderful backdrop for formal gardens planted to give delight during every season, with extensive woodland walks amongst wild flowers and unusual flowering shrubs along the banks of a chain of ornamental pools…

Casterne Hall

Manor house in beautiful location, a seat of the Hurt family for 500 years…

Erasmus Darwin House

Grandfather of Charles Darwin and a founder member of the Lunar Society, Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802) was a leading doctor, scientist, inventor and poet. This elegant Georgian house was his home and contains an exhibition of his life, theories and inventions. There is also an 18th century herb…