History of Ashridge

In 1283, Edmund, Earl of Cornwall, founded a monastic house for the Bonhommes order called ‘The College of Bonhommes’ at ‘Assherugge’. The monastery was re-endowed by Edward the Black Prince and gained a reputation as a centre for scholarly excellence and learning. The college of monks was dissolved during the Reformation. Afterwards, in 1539, Henry VIII bestowed the estate on Princess Elizabeth, later Elizabeth I.

Elizabeth spent 8 years at Ashridge, and it was there that she was arrested by her half-sister Mary in 1554 and taken to the Tower of London. Elizabeth survived, and after her sister died, the estate remained in Crown hands until Elizabeth herself died, after which time the Earl of Bridgewater, Thomas Egerton, bought the estate.

His descendant, the 2nd Duke of Bridgewater, employed famous architect James Wyatt to create a Gothic Revival house which were to be surrounded by scenic gardens. After the First World War, the house became a hospital, and at the same time the woodland part of the estate passed to the National Trust.

In 1959, the house was converted into a business school, which it remains today.

Ashridge Today

The present house is regarded as one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in the UK and is now a Grade I listed building. Its gardens are National Trust owned and are popular among visitors and locals alike.

Ashridge is also a popular wedding and conference venue, alongside it being a business school. As a result, tours are only available during non-term time.

Getting to Ashridge

Ashridge is a two and a half hour journey from Kings Cross Underground Station in London. After getting the Thameslink to St Albans, take the 300 bus to Hemel Hempstead to stop ‘Marlowes’, then the 31 to ‘War Memorial.’ From there, the site is a 15 minute walk. Alternatively, it’s an hour and 15 minutes by car via the M1.

History of Ashton Court

A manor house has stood at Ashton Court since the 11th century: the estate is referred to in the Domesday Book. It was considerably expanded in the 14th century, and eventually sold to Sir Giles Daubeney, one of Henry VIII’s chamberlains, in 1506. It later passed to the Smyth family, who made use of the Dissolution of the Monasteries to purchase surrounding lands, which had previously been owned by Bath Abbey.

Thomas Smyth (1609-1642) made major alterations to the original manor house, adding a southern front in the style of the popular architect, Inigo Jones: a contemporary writer described it as a ‘very venerable and picturesque building’ following his renovations.

In the 18th century, the famous landscape designer Humphrey Repton was consulted by the then owner about potential changes to the east of the house, although he never ended up doing the work.
Major alterations were made again in the 19th century, and the main façade dates from around this period. Today, it’s a mish-mash of architectural styles: from neo-Classical to Strawberry Hill Gothic, the house stands as testament to its eclectic owners.

The house is operated by a local charity, ArtSpace, which runs tours of the interior on an ad-hoc basis: the mansion house is also used as an event space, but other than that, it’s not open to the general public.

The grounds are extremely popular with locals: there’s a ParkRun held every Saturday, a golf course, and lots of walkers, runners and mountain bikers can be found roaming the space at weekends.

The grounds also host the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta in August each year: a sight that’s well worth seeing if you get the chance.

Getting to Ashton Court

Managed by English Heritage, today Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens are open for visitors and boast a formal Yew Garden, Magnolia Terrace, medieval tower and Victorian Tearoom.

Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens history

Since the 13th century, the Middleton family has lived at Belsay almost continuously. Sir Richard de Middleton, Lord Chancellor to King Henry III owned the estate from 1270 and after a series of treasonous owners, the estate returned to the family in 1391.

By 1298 a high status house stood at Belsay, grand enough to host Edward I when he went hunting nearby. In the 14th century, a great fortified pele tower was added to the castle – a statement of the family’s wealth and a visible response to unrest in the Scotland-England border.

Under King James I from 1603, there was relative peace in the borders, encouraging wealthy landowners like the Middletons to build more obviously comfortable homes. A mansion wing was added onto the castle by Thomas Middleton II, a keen Presbytarian and Parliamentary supporter during the Civil War. An engraving dating back to 1728 shows the castle’s magnificent formal walled gardens dotted with statues.

It was Sir Charles Monck (formerly Middleton) who had a passion for the Classics – especially Greek – and on his honeymoon to Greece made sketches and measurements of the architecture. When he returned, Sir Charles built a new hall at Belsay in the Greek Revival style. Like a Greek temple, the hall sat on a stepped plinth and the colossal Doric columns supporting the portico were based on the ancient Theseion temple in Athens.

During World War Two, the hall was used by the army, the kitchen garden for provisions. The family could no longer afford to maintain the property, selling off parts of the land and furniture from the mansion.

Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens today

Today, you can visit the extensive Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens between 10am and 5pm. Climb the 56 stairs up the medieval castle tower, exploring the rooms and admiring the elaborate wall paintings. In the manor area, you can still see the old cooking range.

Sir Charles also had an interest in gardens, and his wide travels around Europe inspired the Picturesque-style quarry garden at Belsay. The layout of the gardens at Belsay, including exotic conifers, Scots pines, a new lake and a terrace walk, have remained largely unchanged since the 19th century, restored to their appearance in the 1920s and 1930s.

After exploring, head to the Victorian Tearoom in the hall’s original kitchen for lunch or a slice of cake.

Getting to Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens

Just off the A696, half hour north of Newcastle, Belsay is off the B6309 across the Coal Burn. Otherwise, the X75 bus stops at Belsay.

History of Birr Castle

There has been a castle on site since 1170 at Birr: the castle and grounds (known as a demesne) were in the hands of the O’Carroll family until 1620, when Sir Lawrence Parsons was granted ownership of Birr Castle and the surrounding 1277 acres.

Parsons built a new castle on site using English masons, although this was relatively shortlived: his son William was besieged at Birr for over a year by Catholic forces, and another renovation had to take place after this. The castle was later ‘Gothicised’ in the early 19th century.

The 19th century was a time of scientific innovation at Birr: the 3rd Earl of Rosse built the ‘Leviathan of Parsonstown’ in 1845 – a huge telescope that, at that time, was the largest on Earth and was capable of seeing the furthest of any telescope so far created. The observatory at Birr attracted visitors from across the world, and was responsible for large numbers of astronomical discoveries, including that of spiral galaxies. William Parson’s wife, Mary Ross, was a photographer who had her own pioneering dark room in the castle: sadly, only a replica is now visible today.

After the death of his son, Lawrence, in 1908, the telescope was broken up – the mirror was taken to London’s Science Museum, and much of the supporting metal structure was melted down for use in the First World War. The telescope was only restored seriously in the late 1990s.

Getting to Birr Castle

Birr Castle is just off the N52/N62 crossroads, about 45 minutes south of Athlone. You’ll need to park in the public car park (pay and display) opposite the castle entrance – there’s no parking on site. Bus route 72 runs between Athlone and Limerick Train Station, stopping in Birr en route. Allow 45 minutes from Athlone and 90 minutes from Limerick.

History of Blaise Castle Museum and Estate

The area around Blaise Castle has been probably been inhabited since Neolithic times – there’s definitely evidence of settlements from the Bronze Age onwards. It formed part of the Kingdom of Mercia prior to the Norman Conquest, and during this time, it gained its name: a chapel to Saint Blaise was constructed.

When Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries in the 1530s, the estate was granted to Ralph Sadler, whose family owned it until 1675.

The estate then changed hands four times in the next hundred years, until it arrived in the hands of John Harford, a wealthy Bristol merchant and banker, who bought it in 1789. He had Blaise Castle House constructed: designed by the architect William Paty in a neoclassical style. Later additions included the Orangery, and the Picture Room, which is open to the public today.

Harford also built the nearby Blaise Hamlet to house his servants and tenants: it is now under the ownership of the National Trust, having originally been sold to Bristol City Council in 1926 to prevent redevelopment.

Blaise Castle House has been under the ownership of Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery since 1949, and is rented out as a private event space, as well as being partially open as a museum primarily focusing on domestic and social history.

Blaise Castle Museum and Estate today

With 400 acres of parkland, Blaise Castle is a popular walking and running spot, particularly on weekends. Look out for the 19th century Gothic Revival folly – built in 1766, it’s said to feature in Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. It’s open some weekends in the summer, and there are fantastic views from the top on a clear day: look closely and you can see over to Wales. Take good walking shoes so you can explore fully!

The Castle Museum itself is also worth a visit, its costume collection alone amounts to 10,000 items, and the ‘Bristol At Home’ display is fascinating.

Getting to Blaise Castle

Blaise Castle Estate is located a couple of miles off the M5, near Henbury in North Bristol. There is ample parking nearby, including disabled spaces. Bus route 1 goes from Bristol Temple Meads / City Centre to just outside the estate. The nearest station is Bristol Parkway (5.1 miles).

Today, this Grade I listed building offers visitors a rare glimpse into the story of people who lived and worked at Brodsworth Hall and Gardens.

Brodsworth Hall and Gardens history

While Brodsworth Hall and Gardens are known as a Victorian time-capsule, the house and village lay where settlements have been since the Iron Age. The Romans popularly used a major route along the ridge to travel north to their garrison that later became Doncaster.

The house and land was owned by several notable families from the Norman time until the 17th century, when the owner Darcy Wentworth of Brodsworth became involved in the English Civil War on the Parliamentarian side. What the manor at Brodsworth looked like at this time is unknown.

The estate was bought in 1791 by Peter Thellusson, from a long established European mercantile family. His grandson, Charles Sabine Thellusson inherited Brodworth and was a leading yachtsman who needed a house to suit a family with an extensive social life. By the end of the 1860s, the remodelling was complete and Brodsworth was an impressive Italianate-style Victorian mansion.

In the 20th century however, the great estate was too expensive to manage and faced an uncertain future. Major work was needed to make it safe and bring the gardens back from their jungle-like state. English Heritage took charge of Brodsworth Hall and Gardens in 1990, and it opened to the public in 1995.

Brodsworth Hall and Gardens today

Today, what visitors see at Brodsworth is what has been stabilised, cleaned and conserved to tell the entire history of the Victorian house and gardens. Visitors can tour the house, seeing objects that transport us back to the splendid Victorian age. Highlights include the folding bed, Hadlock’s Horse, Italian sculptures and magnificent family portraits along with lavish furnishings.

The pleasure gardens – stretching 6 hectares wide – reflect the house’s Italianate style and boast spacious lawns and terraces with marble steps. Wandering around you will find white marble statues popping out of the greenery at you, as well as a 3-tier fountain, a rockwork grotto and garden buildings, all lined by fabulous topiary.

Expect to spend a morning or afternoon touring the property, open between 10am and 5pm, with Guided Taster Tours at 11am and 12pm during the April to November season.

Getting to Brodsworth Hall and Gardens

Brodsworth Hall and Gardens are easily found when driving, just off the A1 at the Doncaster Bypass and along the B6422 until you reach Brodsworth village. There is parking on site. Alternately, the 203 bus from Wombwell and Highgate stop at the top of the lane.

Visitors to the Burggarten Palmenhaus can now see the butterflies that reside there, earning it the alternative name of the Schmetterling Haus or ‘Butterfly House’.

Burggarten Palmenhaus history

The original Burggarten Palmenhaus was built in 1822, under the reign of the Austrian emperor, Franz I. As with the nearby Volksgarten, the planners of the Burggarten Imperial park were Ludwig Gabriel von Remy and the court gardener, Franz Antoine the older.

The design also saw the participation of Emperor Franz who was a keen gardener and selected new types of plants from all over the world to be part of this lavish private garden. Over the years the layout was adapted to the style of an English landscape garden and a pond was added, as well as the original palm house.

However, almost 80 years later, the palm house was reconstructed in the Jugendsil architectural style, designed by architect Friedrich Ohmann. Similar to Art Nouveau, Jugendsil was a German movement that departed from the academy’s neoclassical and historicist styles.

The building of the new 2,000 metre squared glass and steel palm house therefore represented a changing vision of Vienna in the shadow of the government at Hofsburg Palace. The gardens and palm house finally opened to the public in 1919.

Burggarten Palmenhaus today

Today, the Palmenhause still functions as a greenhouse and is home to many exotic varieties of plants, often used as a dramatic backdrop for official events. Located in the Burggarten Imperial Palace Garden, the area is a great spot to relax and admire the grand vestiges of Austria’s imperial past, as well as watching the butterflies in the palm houses’ left wing.

After exploring this marvel of early 20th century nouveau architecture, stop at the popular Palmenhaus restauarant-café for a sweet treat in the sunshine as you watch the bustle of the city.

Getting to Burggarten Palmenhaus

Located in the city’s historic centre, you can reach the Burggarten Palmenhaus via the city’s tram line. The closest tram stop is Burgring on lines 1, 2, 71, D and E1. On foot, entrances to the Burggarten park are found at the Ringstrasse and from the Hanuschgasse at the Albertina.

History of Burton Agnes Hall and Gardens

The origins of the estate can be traced back to 1173, when Roger de Stuteville built a Norman manor house on the site, part of which still stands today. The newer, larger hall of Burton Agnes was built by Sir Henry Griffith in the early 17th century, based on designs that were thought to have come from Robert Smythson, an architect.

Throughout its history, Burton Agnes Hall has never been sold, only passed between families at points. After various generations of the Boynton family lived in the house, Cicely Boynton inherited Burton Agnes in the 20th century, before it was passed on to one of her sons, Marcus Wickham-Boynton, who was High Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1953. He began undertaking major restoration of the property and bringing in various pieces of fine art, and in 1977 he passed Burton Agnes Hall to the Burton Agnes Preservation Trust, a registered charity that helps look after the property, although it is still used as an active residence.

The gardens also date back to Elizabethan times. One of the most notable features, the walled garden, fell out of use in the second half of the 20th century, before being restored in 1990 by Susan Cunliffe-Lister, whose family had recently begun living in Burton Agnes Hall. A mix of Elizabethan and modern styles and designs were used to bring the gardens back to life.

Burton Agnes Hall and Gardens today

As well as thousands of species of plant, the walled garden holds many hidden horticultural treasures, including a maze constructed from yew trees, games such as chess (on a giant chessboard), and a ‘jungle garden’ featuring bamboo and large shrubs, plus fruit and vegetables (look out for asparagus, artichokes, and rhubarb). There’s also a much-loved elephant fountain sculpture which squirts water. The grounds also house a mile-long woodland walk and arboretum.

Getting to Burton Agnes Hall and Gardens

Driffield rail station is five miles from Burton Agnes, and a direct bus operates from outside the station to the hall. By car, the estate is located on the A614 York to Bridlington road between Bridlington and Driffield. There are also bus services to Burton Agnes Hall from Bridlington, Driffield, Beverley, Scarborough, Hull and York.

History of Casa del Rey Moro

Casa del Rey Moro was actually named after a tile on its façade which depicts a Moorish King. It was built in the 18th century and since 1767 has belonged to the family that held that Marquis of Salvatierra. In 1911, it was sold to the Duchess of Parcent, who extended and renovated the house into a Neo-Mudejar style.

It’s apparently Moorish gardens are even more recent, having been designed by French landscape gardener Jean Claude Forestier in 1912. These hanging gardens were declared a Site of Cultural Interest – the highest degree of heritage protection – from 1943, and are hugely popular amongst visitors.

The site is also known for its incorporation of one genuine and important relic of Ronda’s Moorish occupation – the so-called Water Mine.

The mine was built in the 14th century as a water supply for the town at a time Ronda was continually in the firing line between the Moors of Granada and the Christians of Seville.

The mine being built enabled water to be brought from the rio Guadelevin below. It was the Moorish King Abomelic who is said to have ordered slaves to build the Casa del Rey Moro Water Mine and local legend has it that he hid his gold there.

Casa del Rey Moro Today

The gardens and mine are open for visitors throughout the year, with the opening time schedule varying due to the summer and winter timetables.

Today, a trip to the mine offers an atmospheric descent down some 300 steps through various chambers.

These chambers include the Sala de la Noria, the name for the large Ferris wheel which was used to extract water, the Weapons Room where equipment was kept, and the Room of Secrets, named because two visitors standing at the edge of the domed room can whisper to one another perfectly clearly, while someone standing in the middle will find their conversation unintelligible.

Getting to Casa del Rey Moro

From the centre of Ronda, Casa del Rey Moro is reachable in around 15 minutes by foot via Carrera Espinel, or 12-15 minutes by car via Calle Granada or Calle Genal.

History of Down House

Down House is located in the village of Downe around 20km southeast of Charing Cross.

The house was built in the early 18th century, likely on the site of a 17th century house. A simple box shape, it was extensively modernised in the late 18th century by wealthy businessman George Butler. After his death, the house changed hands many times, and was slightly enlarged.

Charles Darwin, along with his heavily pregnant wife Emma and two children, moved into Down House in 1842. Though he described it as ‘ugly’, it was, as they desired, ‘at the extreme verge of the world’ with room to expand and many acres of land.

Indeed, they expanded the house, adding a service wing for the growing family (the Darwins would have ten children, seven of whom survived infancy) and servants, a schoolroom and extra bedroom, and later, a larger drawing room and another bedroom.

Many of Darwin’s famous experiments took place in the botanical gardens at Down House, which were built on the ‘detestable slip’ of land in use as a kitchen garden. In the late 1950s, while writing ‘On the Origin of Species‘, Darwin took over a corner of the gardens and developed his work.

Later, he added a hothouse alongside the greenhouse, where he continued his experiments until he died in 1882.

The house was kept on by the Darwin children, later becoming Downe House school for girls from 1907. From 1921 it languished empty in an increasing state of disrepair.

From 1927, it was proposed that the house be bought as a national memorial to Darwin. It was bought by a benefactor and restored under the close eye of Darwin’s son, Leonard.

It then opened as a museum to the public for around 60 years, until it was bought by English Heritage and then re-opened as a museum in 1998, at which time a long-term programme of work was begun to restore the gardens, which is now complete.

Down House Today

Today, Down House, gardens, and grounds are open to the public daily from April to the end of October, and at weekends only from November until the end of March.

Visitors can enjoy the many pieces of furniture and possessions that allow the house to look very much like it would have when the Darwin family lived there, and walk among Darwin’s magnificent gardens and greenhouse where many of his famous experiments took place.

Getting to Down House

The house can be reached by public transport from central London, as it is located within Transport for London travel Zone 6. The 146 bus service from Bromley North railway station (daily) terminates nearby at Downe Village, and the R8 bus from Orpington railway station (excluding Sundays) stops on request outside Down House. The closest Tramlink station is New Addington.