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Histor ic Houses and Gardens Supplement 2023
e 2023 edition of the Historic Houses, Castles and Gardens Supplement is a must-have for those looking to explore the rich and diverse heritage of the British Isles. With a fantastic collection of treasures waiting to be discovered , this supplement is packed full of inspiration for those looking to delve into our histor y and culture.
e British Isles has a long and rich histor y, and it is no sur prise that this small geographical area is famous for its extraordinar y buildings, castles, and gardens. From the most opulent of houses, to the most humble and important buildings of national significance, there is something here for ever yone
Whether your group is interested in royal histor y, or in exploring the opulence and extravagance of the past, this supplement will provide you with the information you need to plan your next adventure. From grand and stately homes to historic castles and beautifully landscaped gardens, the heritage and culture of the British Isles is truly something to behold. In these pages, you will find a veritable mix of heritage and culture to explore, making 2023 the per fect time to celebrate all that the British Isles has to offer. Your support of these historic buildings, gardens, and places will help ensure that the y are preserved for generations to come and will allow others to experience the rich and diverse histor y of these incredible islands.
So why not plan a visit today and discover the rich heritage that Britain has to offer?
At times, it can be overwhelming to discern the ownership of heritage organisations in the UK due to their sheer number. We present a g uide to help you navigate the world of Britain’s heritage.
Cadw / Historic Environment Scotl and / Love Heritage
NI Government ag encies which run and promote historic building s and monuments on behalf of the de volved administrations of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively Cadw means ‘ protect ’ in Welsh and that is just what the y do, opening and looking aer 121 historic sites in Wales, which has the thickest densit y of castles in Europe HES and Love Heritag e NI do the same job for sites in Scotland and in Northern Ireland from castles to heng es. www.cadw.gov.wales /www.historicenvironment.scot / www.communities-ni.gov.uk
English Heritage
ing s are different in Eng land where Eng lish Heritag e is a stand alone national charit y which has been independent of g overnment since 1983 With a real focus on families, EH helps us all “Step into Eng land’s Stor y ” at over 400 historic places www.english-heritage.org.uk
Heritage O pen Days / Doors O pen Days
Charities that encourag e public access to historic places, which are not normally open over a special festival period each September or October and including e ver y thing from townhouses, factories and mills to wartime bunkers. Look out for the pink bunting on 9 to 18 September 2022 in Eng land, and September weekends in Scotland www.heritageopendays.org.uk / www.doorsopendays.org.uk
Historic Houses
A not-for-profit org anisation which represents over 1500 owners of historic houses and their associated estates, g ardens and parks. Independently owned and sometimes idiosyncratic, members include many of the g reatest houses in the land O ver 320 are open reg ularly to the public, you can stay in some, g et married in many and others offer tours on specific dates. www.historichouses.org
Historic Royal Pal aces
e org anisation that runs and looks aer the six castles and palaces which belong to the nation and are not the private propert y of the Royal Family www.hrp.org.uk
The L andmark Trust
A charit y that has rescued and restored over 200 neg lected historic building s, oen hig hly eccentric ones, so the y can be used for holiday lets Weekend in e Pig st y, anyone ? www.landmarktr ust.org.uk
Local authorities
Your local authorit y probably owns at least some historic building s and, of course, museums Many also own extraordinar y sites that rang e from ships to archaeolog y.
National Gardens Scheme / Scotl and’s Gardens
Charities set up aer World War 1 to raise mone y for nursing by donating fees g enerated by opening private g ardens to visitors Now expanded to include g roups of villag e g ardens, providing g arden inspiration for all. www.ngs.org.uk / www.scotlandsgardens.org
National Trust / National Trust for Scotl and National charities which have been caring for historic building s, countr yside and coastline “for e ver yone, for e ver ” since 1895 and 1931 respectively NT Eng land and Wales now has 5 million members and looks aer 300 historic building s, hundreds of miles of coastline and thousands of acres of countr yside. NT Scotland is smaller, with around 129 building s. www.nationaltr ust.org.uk / www.nts.org.uk
Other Organizations
Look be yond historic building s and there are plent y of org anisations whate ver your passion : the Association of Eng lish Cathedrals ; Association for Industrial Archaeolog y ; Battlefields Trust ; British Association of Friends of Museums ; Canal and River Trust ; Churches Conser vation Trust ; Council for British Archaeolog y ; Maritime Trust ; National Piers Societ y ; R ailway Heritag e Trust ; eatres Trust and many more e y variously own and run heritag e sites or org anise lectures, online study, visits and social e vents. It’s really just up to you to decide how you want to g et involved.
Bamburgh Ca stle in Northumberl and , Engl and , is over 1,400 years old and has been home to kings, saints, and warriors. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the region.
Location, location, location... Great Britain's stunning collection of ma jestic castles and stately homes has made it the top destination for filmmakers and movie location scouts. These photogenic locations offer an authentic snapshot of a certain period , making them the per fect choice for cinematic productions.
From the g randeur of Highclere Castle in Hampshire, Engl and , which served as the iconic filming location for Downton Abbe y, to the impressive Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, Engl and , which has been featured in Pride and Pre judice and The Duchess, these locations provide a picturesque backdrop for any film.
Other popul ar choices include Alnwick Castle in Northumberl and , Engl and , which pl ayed a starring role in the Harr y Potter films, and Culzean Castle in Ayrshire, Scotl and , which has appeared in Outl ander and The Wicker Man.
W hether it's a period drama or a fantasy adventure, these stunning locations have become a staple in the film industr y and continue to inspire filmmakers and moviegoers alike.
TOWE r OF LONDON - has been used in numerous films and T V series, including The Crown, Eliz abeth: The Golden Age, and Pirates of the Caribbean : On Stranger Tides. One interesting anecdote about the Tower of London is that the ravens that live on the grounds are considered to be the guardians of the tower. Legend has it that if the ravens ever leave, the tower will fall and the kingdom will crumble. Visitors can save up to 30% on tickets if the y book for a group of 15 or more people. www.hr p.org.uk/tower-of-london/#gs.r4qpus
WESTMiNSTE r ABBEy - has appeared in several films and T V series, including Four Weddings and a Funeral and The Da Vinci Code An interesting anecdote about Westminster Abbe y is that it is home to a number of famous tombs, including those of Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Geoffre y Chaucer
Visitors can save 10% on tickets if the y book for a group of 20 or more people www.westminster-abbe y.org/visit-us
H AMPTON COurT PAL ACE - has been featured in several T V series and films, including The Other Bole yn Girl and The Tudors. One interesting anecdote about Hampton Court Palace is that it is said to be haunted by the ghost of Catherine Howard , the fifth wife of King Henr y VIII. Visitors can save up to 15% on tickets if the y book for a group of 15 or more people. www.hr p.org.uk/hampton-court-palace
OxFOrD uNi vE r SiT y - has been used as a filming location for several films and T V series, including Harr y Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, The Theor y of Ever ything , and Inspector Morse An interesting anecdote about Oxford Universit y is that it has produced more British prime ministers than any other institution, including David Cameron and Theresa May Visitors can save up to 15% on tickets if the y book for a group of 15 or more people www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/visiting/visiting-ox ford
E DINBURGH C ASTL E - Edinburgh Castle has been used as a filming location for several movies, including Mar y, Queen of Scots and Outlaw King One interesting anecdote about Edinburgh Castle is that it was once used as a prison, and many prisoners were executed within its walls Visitors can save up to 20% on tickets if the y book for a group of 15 or more people www.edinburghcastle.scot/visit/tickets-prices www.highclerecastle.co.uk/visit-us
BATH - The cit y of Bath has been used as a filming location for several movies and T V series, including Jane Austen's Persuasion and The Duchess. One interesting anecdote about Bath is that Jane Austen lived in the cit y for a number of years and set two of her novels, Northanger Abbe y and Persuasion, there. Visitors can save up to 20% on tickets if the y book for a group of 10 or more people. Visit www.visitbath.co.uk/ for more information .
HIGHCL E RE C ASTL E - the setting for the T V series Downton Abbe y, has become a popular tourist attraction in the UK . One interesting anecdote about Highclere Castle is that it has been owned by the same family, the Carnarvons, for over 300 years. Visitors can save up to 10% on tickets if the y book for a group of 15 or more people.
CH ATSWORTH HOUSE - has been used as a filming location for several movies and T V series, including Pride and Pre judice and The Crown One interesting anecdote about Chatsworth House is that it was used as a filming location for the movie The Duchess, which tells the stor y of Georgiana Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire, who lived at Chatsworth in the 18th centur y Visitors can save up to 20% on tickets if the y book for a group of 15 or more people www.chatsworth.org/visit/plan- your-visit/ www.brightonmuseums.org.uk/royalpavilion/
THE ROYAL PAVIL ION - The Royal Pavilion in Brighton has been used as a filming location for several movies and T V series, including The Young Victoria and Poirot. One interesting anecdote about the Royal Pavilion is that it was used as a militar y hospital during World War I. Visitors can save up to 20% on tickets if the y book for a group of 10 or more people.
THE GLOBE THE ATRE - in London has been used as a filming location for several movies and T V series, including Shakespeare in Love and The Hollow Crown. An interesting anecdote about the Globe Theatre is that it is a replica of the original theatre, which was built in 1599 and burned down in 1613 during a per formance of Shakespeare's Henr y VIII Visitors can save up to 20% on tickets if the y book for a group of 15 or more people www.shakespearesglobe.com/
So there you have it, some of the most iconic historical attractions in the UK , along with some interesting anecdotes and group discount information. Whether you ' re a histor y buff or a film fan, these attractions are well worth a visit.
Hampton Court Pal ace is a sumptuous architectural master piece situated on the banks of the Thames in southwest London. Built in the early 16th centur y, it was once the residence of King Henr y VIII, who l avishly expanded and furnished the pal ace with priceless artwork and ornate furnishings.
One of the most intrig uing aspects of Hampton Court Pal ace is its famous hedge maze, which covers over half an acre of l and and dates back to the 17th centur y. Legend has it that a young l ady once became so lost in the maze that she had to be rescued by a g roup of gardeners.
Another interesting feature of the pal ace is its impressive astronomical clock, which is said to have been built by a 16th centur y clockmaker named Nichol as Kratzer. The clock is not only stunning to behold , but also boasts a number of astronomical functions, such as tracking the phases of the moon.
Finally, it's worth noting that Hampton Court Pal ace has pl ayed host to many important events throughout its histor y, including the christening of Prince Edward (son of Queen Elizabeth II) in 1964. With its rich histor y, stunning architecture, and fascinating features, Hampton Court Pal ace is truly a British treasure that continues to captivate visitors from around the world .
