Houses & Gardens

All legal lockdown restrictions have now been lifted in England. However, some venues may choose to keep requirements around social distancing or mask wearing to keep visitors and staff safe; please check with individual venues for more information.

Wander Great Halls hung with tapestries, feel the heat of a Tudor kitchen, admire the craftsmanship of an elaborately carved 4-poster bed… and then step outside for a breath of fresh air in an English country garden.

Visiting country houses and gardens is a popular national pastime - a chance to admire some of the country’s most outstanding examples of architecture, art and landscape design, and discover how different people have lived throughout history.

Each country house has its own stories to tell, from the improbable dining habits of medieval lords and ladies to life below stairs in an Edwardian manor house. While some houses have been occupied by a whole host of notable characters over the centuries, including royals, business pioneers and celebrities, others have a more singular tale to tell. At Merchant’s House in Marlborough, for instance, you can glimpse the elaborate domesticity that surrounded 17th-century silk merchant Thomas Bayly.

Many of these houses also boast spectacular gardens, showcasing English planting fashions through the ages. Perhaps you’ll visit Bowood House, and admire Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown’s vision for natural parkland. Or instead swoon at the classical temples and tranquil lakes in the grounds of Palladian mansions such as Stourhead. Or maybe you’ll make a beeline for the immaculate geometric Rose Garden at Hampton Court Palace. In August and September 2020, weekend visitors to Windsor Castle can explore the formal East Terrace Garden, created by George IV in the 1820s - open to visitors for the first time in decades. There are also lots of gardens that exist independently, like The Savill Garden with its fabulous ornamental blooms and Westonbirt, The National Arboretum. And that's not all; the National Garden Scheme gives visitors unique access to thosuands of private gardens in England and Wales - from romantic cottage gardens to urban hideaways - including many along the Great West Way route.

Along the Great West Way you have a huge variety of houses and gardens to choose from. But whichever you go to, make sure you stop for a cup of tea and a scone in the tea room before you go - just like the locals.

Top tip: For the ultimate experience, stay overnight in a luxurious historic house. Bowood Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort, Cliveden and The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, Bath all provide exemplary accommodation.

For more information on House and Gardens, take a look at our top 10 most fascinating country houses and gorgeous gardens. Alternatively, take a look at our other See and Do pages.

Houses and Gardens along the way...

Westonbirt, The National Arboretum

Arboretum with over 16,000 rare and beautiful trees, all set in 600 glorious, easy-to-stroll Cotswold acres
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Bowood House and Gardens

Outstanding 18th century mansion house estate.
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Top 10 Gorgeous Gardens

Enjoy the gorgeous gardens the Great West Way has to offer you along your way across the 125 mile touring route
National Trust

Discover the National Trust Properties along the Great West Way.
Top 10 Most Fascinating Country Houses

Featuring stunning gardens and hundreds of years of English history, click here to find out about the top 10 most fascinating country houses along the Great West Way.
Longleat

Longleat Safari Park, nestled within 900 acres of ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped grounds, is home to the UK’s original Safari Park, one of the best examples of Elizabethan architecture, and an abundance of exciting attractions including Jungle Kingdom and Animal Adventure where you can get up-close and personal with truly amazing animals.
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