Eastnor Castle, a statement of status, power and wealth in Herefordshire.

 

To build the castle, John Cocks hired the celebrated architect Robert Smirke, one of the leaders of Gothic Revival architecture and well known for designing the British Museum in London… More

Kenilworth Castle, an impressive ruined castle in the town of Kenilworth, Warwickshire.

 

The Kenilworth’s greatest period began when Queen Elizabeth I granted Kenilworth to Robert Dudley, the first Earl of Leicester. The story of their tangled relationship has fascinated people for over 450 years… More 

Lowther Castle, dramatic ruins that tell dramatic stories in the Lake District. 

 

This is a ruined country house with a 130-acre garden. Although the current house was built around 1814, there is some evidence that the Lowther family has occupied the grounds since the 11th century… More

Broughton Castle, a medieval fortified manor house in Oxfordshire. 

 

Broughton Castle has been the seat of the Fiennes family since the early 15th century. And it is one of the rare examples of a privately owned castle that has been occupied by the same family for almost 700 years… More

Blenheim Palace, the only non-royal country house in England to hold the title of palace in Oxfordshire. 

 

Blenheim Palace was a national gift from Queen Anne to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, as a recognition of his military triumph at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704… More

Belvoir Castle, a historic castle with a French name in Leicestershire.

 

The name ‘Belvoir’ is French, what means ‘beautiful view’. Surprisingly, it is pronounced today as ‘beaver’. This is because the native Anglo-Saxon population could not pronounce properly the French name… More

Powis Castle and Garden, medieval fortress in Wales.

 

The distinctive feature of Powis Garden is giant yews that were first planted in the 1680s. Strict geometric shapes were in fashion at that time, and yew trees were trimmed regularly… More