- Heritage

Boughton House

Boughton, a Tudor manor house transformed into a vision of Louis XIV’s Versailles has been the Northamptonshire home of the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch and their Montagu ancestors since 1528. The house displays a staggering collection of fine art including paintings, furniture, porcelain, weapons, and textiles. The 18th Century Designed Landscape, originally created to provide vistas, avenues, water features and formality is presently being restored. In 2007, the Duke commissioned Kim Wilkie to design a striking new landform - "Orpheus" which both complements and enhances the older landscape created by his ancestors. For information on the group visits programme, events or education services, please contact The House Manager. Our website gives considerable information on Boughton, together with full details of our schools’ educational facilities (Sandford Award winner 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003 and 2008). "I never desired anything so earnestly as to go to Boughton to see my Lord, the Good Company and learning in its full lustre." Charles de Saint Evremond, the French soldier, poet and essayist writing in 1700 about the home of his good friend, Ralph Montagu…

Deene Park

A most interesting house, occupied and developed by the Brudenell family since 1514, from a medieval manor around a courtyard into a Tudor and Georgian mansion. Visitors see many rooms of different periods, providing an impressive yet intimate ambience of the family home of many generations. The most flamboyant member of the family to date was the 7th Earl of Cardigan, who led the charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava and of whom there are many historic relics and pictures on view. Mr Edmund Brudenell, the current owner, has taken considerable care in restoring the house after the Second World War. The gardens have also been improved during the last thirty years or so, with long, mixed borders of shrubs, old-fashioned roses and flowers, together with a parterre designed by David Hicks and long walks under fine old trees by the water…

Rockingham Castle

Rockingham Castle stands on the edge of an escarpment giving dramatic views over five counties and the Welland Valley below. Built by William the Conqueror, the Castle was a royal residence for 450 years. In the 16th century Henry VIII granted it to Edward Watson and for 450 years it has remained a family home. The predominantly Tudor building, within Norman walls, has architecture, furniture and works of art from practically every century including, unusually, a remarkable collection of 20th century pictures. Charles Dickens was a regular visitor to the Castle and based Chesney Wolds in Bleak House on Rockingham. Surrounding the Castle are some 18 acres of gardens largely following the foot print of the medieval castle. The vast 400 year old "Elephant Hedge" bisects the formal 17th century terraced gardens. The circular yew hedge stands on the site of the motte and bailey and provides shelter for the Rose Garden. Outside of which stands the newly planted ‘Room Garden’ created by Chelsea gold medal winner Robert Myers, using Yew hedging, shrubs and herbaceous planting. Below the Castle is the beautiful 19th century "Wild Garden" replanted with advice from Kew Gardens during the early 1960s. Included in the gardens are many specimen tress and shrubs including the remarkable Handkerchief Tree…

78 Derngate: The Charles Rennie Mackintosh House & Galleries

Winner Enjoy England Gold Award for Best Small Visitor Attraction 2009. 78 Derngate was remodelled by the world-famous architect and designer, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, in his iconic modernist style. Free entry to the Gallery Upstairs, restaurant, shop and contemporary craft. Truely is a must-see venue…

Coton Manor Garden

Traditional English garden laid out on different levels surrounding a 17th century stone manor house. Many herbaceous borders, with extensive range of plants, old yew and holly hedges, rose garden, water garden and fine lawns set in 10 acres. Also wild flower meadow and bluebell wood…

Cottesbrooke Hall & Gardens

This magnificent Queen Anne house dating from 1702 is set in delightful rural Northamptonshire. The Hall’s beauty is matched by the magnificence of the gardens and views and by the excellence of the picture, furniture and porcelain collections it houses. The Woolavington collection of sporting pictures at Cottesbrooke is possibly one of the finest of its type in Europe and includes paintings by Stubbs, Ben Marshall and many other artists renowned for works of this genre, from the mid 18th century to the present day. Portraits, bronzes, 18th century English and French furniture and fine porcelain are also among the treasures of Cottesbrooke Hall. In the formal gardens a huge 300-year-old cedar sets off the magnificent double herbaceous borders, pools and lily-ponds. In midsummer, visitors enjoy the splendid array of planters, a sight not to be missed. The Wild Garden is a short walk across the Park and is planted along the course of a stream with its small cascades and arched bridges. Previously winner of the HHA/Christie’s Garden of the Year Award. Nominated as one of the best gardens in the world in "1001 Gardens you must see before you die"…

Drayton House

A large house dating from c1300 which has never been let or sold. Splendid Baroque architechture and furnishings. Unique embroidered State bed of c1700. The house came into the ownership of the Sackville family in 1770 and the Dining Room has superb plasterwork of that period…

Haddonstone Show Gardens

See Haddonstone’s classic garden ornaments in the beautiful setting of the walled manor gardens including: urns, troughs, fountains, statuary, bird baths, sundials and balustrading - even an orangery. The garden is on different levels with shrub roses, conifers, clematis and climbers. The Jubilee garden features a pavilion, temple and Gothic grotto. As featured on BBC Gardeners’…

Kelmarsh Hall

Built in the Palladian style to a James Gibbs design, 18th century Kelmarsh Hall is set in beautiful gardens with views over the surrounding parkland. The former home of society decorator, Nancy Lancaster, renowned for working with John Fowler and acclaimed for creating the ‘English Country House Style’, Kelmarsh still reflects the essence of her panache and flair. On the first floor of the Hall the Croome Exhibition can be seen, showcasing furniture and paintings on loan from Croome Court in Worcestershire and home to the Earls of Coventry. The award winning gardens that visitors see at Kelmarsh today are largely inspired by Nancy Lancaster. She extended her interior style of shabby chic charm into the gardens and drafted in the garden designer of her day, Norah Lindsay. Around the Hall, the landscape architect Geoffrey Jellicoe laid out a formal terrace and horse chestnut avenues leading down to the lake. >From the sophisticated pastels of the sunken garden through to the showier shades of the 30 metre long border, the garden leads you on a tour around the perimeter of a triangular walled kitchen garden. This secret heart is a newly restored space filled with traditional fruit and vegetables, cut flower beds and a restored vinery. Kelmarsh Hall, gardens and parkland can be hired exclusively for weddings, corporate events and private parties. We are experienced at providing bespoke events throughout the year, for any number of people. Please visit our website, www.kelmarsh.com, for our programme of special events throughout the year…

Holdenby

Once the largest private house in England and subsequently the palace and prison of King Charles I, Holdenby has a special atmosphere all of its own. Its elegant rooms and acres of gardens and parkland make it a magnificent venue for corporate events, dinners and meetings, as well as an ideal location for films and TV. Visitors to the gardens can enjoy fascinating flying displays of birds from our famous Falconry Centre, while couples continue to choose Holdenby as an enchanting venue for weddings. Holdenby is six times winner of the Sandford Award for Heritage Education…