by Helen Kain | Feb 23, 2025 | Castles & Stately Houses, England, Treasure Houses, Tudors (1485–1603)
Few country houses in England can rival the grandeur, artistry, and sheer theatricality of Burghley House. Rising like an opulent stage set on the edge of Stamford, Burghley is the ultimate expression of Elizabethan power and prestige—a house built not...
by Helen Kain | Feb 19, 2025 | Castles & Stately Houses, Victorians (1837–1901)
Nestled in the heart of the Oxfordshire countryside, Kelmscott Manor is a testament to the enduring beauty of the English Arts and Crafts movement. This 16th-century farmhouse, with its honey-coloured limestone walls and steep gabled roofs, was more than just a...
by Helen Kain | Jan 28, 2025 | Castles & Stately Houses, England, Tudors (1485–1603)
“Hardwick Hall, More Glass than Wall” Rising imperiously from the Derbyshire landscape, its vast windows glitter in the sunlight, a defiant statement from its formidable creator. Bess of Hardwick, the woman who outpaced four husbands, amassed a staggering...
by Helen Kain | Oct 20, 2024 | Beautiful Towns, Castles & Stately Houses, Cathedrals, England, Home, Unique Places to Stay
Picking up from England in the Autumn Part II, we departed from South Lodge at Montacute. We were going to Grantham to stay at another National Trust self-catering cottage, No. 1 Belton, on the Belton Estate. The house was built in 1896 for the Clerk of Works, a...
by Helen Kain | Oct 12, 2024 | Castles & Stately Houses, England, Gardens and Flowers, Great Gardens of England, Home, Recent
There’s something magical about walled gardens — so ordered, protected and private. Ever since consuming The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett as a child, I’ve been fascinated with them. The high walls, usually brick, create a warm...
by Helen Kain | Jun 15, 2024 | Castles & Stately Houses, England, Home, Recent, Unique Places to Stay
Though we were in England for only ten days on this trip, it was jam-packed with houses, castles, and gardens. The first leg of our journey was exploring the Royal Palaces In and Around London. From there, we drove to Essex to The Head Gardener’s House at Audley...
