A Tour Around the Treasure Houses of England

A Tour Around the Treasure Houses of England

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DETAILS

The Treasure Houses of England are a collection of the most magnificent palaces, houses and castles, each with its own unique charm, stunning architecture and beautiful gardens. Most are still homes to the great families who have owned them for generations. Together, the houses display some of the most important art collections in the world, showcasing exquisite examples of fine furniture, porcelain, china and portraiture. On this captivating tour, we explore nine of these impressive places, alongside other historic gems, giving us a fascinating insight into life in England over the centuries.

Pricing from
$6,845
Trip Type
Group Travel Tour, International Land & Rail Voyages
Departure Dates
Jun 1, 2024 - Jun 13, 2024

HOTELS

Nights One and Two – Audleys Wood Hotel, Basingstoke
A grand Victorian manor house originally built as a private home, Audleys Wood Hotel is surrounded by lush woodlands and seven acres of private grounds on the edge of Basingstoke in the beautiful Hampshire countryside. The hotel has many period features and all bedrooms have been refurbished and offer a mixture of both modern and traditional features.
Night Three – Chilston Park Hotel, Lenham
Nights Four and Five – Ickworth Hotel, near Bury St Edmunds
Set in the East Wing of the National Trust’s historic Ickworth House, the Ickworth Hotel is a luxury country house hotel that enjoys some spectacular views across the grounds of the estate. Each room is uniquely decorated, while the hotel features a spa with an indoor swimming pool to relax in.
Nights Six to Eight – Middlethorpe Hall & Spa, near York
Built at the end of the 17th century, Middlethorpe Hall & Spa is a beautiful red brick country house set in manicured gardens and parkland just two miles from York. One of the Historic House Hotels of the National Trust, the interiors of this luxury hotel are elegantly decorated and furnished with antiques and fine paintings. The health and fitness spa offers a swimming pool, sauna and gym.
Night Nine – Stapleford Park Country House Hotel, near Melton Mowbray
Night Ten – Hartwell House Hotel, near Aylesbury
Night Eleven – Macdonald Windsor Hotel, Windsor

TRANSFER INFORMATION

Airport transfers from London Heathrow

TERMS & CONDITIONS

ITINERARY

  • day 1&2

    Depart your home city and arrive the next day in London

    June 2: Arrival (depart U.S. on 6/1) On arrival at Heathrow airport, a private transfer will take you to the Audleys Wood Hotel where we stay for two nights. In the evening you are invited to join the group for a welcome drink, followed by dinner.

  • day 3

    Beaulieu

    After breakfast, we make our way to the Beaulieu Estate, set in the heart of the New Forest National Park. Here we enjoy a guided tour of Palace House, once the gatehouse of the medieval Beaulieu Abbey, and the ancestral home of the Montagu family since 1538.

  • day 4

    RHS Garden Wisley and Leeds Castle

    Today we travel first to RHS Garden Wisley, the Royal Horticultural Society’s flagship garden. Extending over 240 peaceful acres – from beautiful rose gardens to tranquil woodland – Wisley offers a wealth of inspirational ideas on design and cultivation techniques. Our next stop is Leeds Castle, a moated castle set in 500 acres of glorious parkland. Dating back to the 12th century, it was once home to Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. The castle’s last private owner was Lady Baillie, an Anglo-American heiress who lovingly restored the castle to its former glory, and we discover more during our audio guided tour. From here, we travel the short distance to the Chilston Park Hotel where we stay overnight. After dinner at the hotel we are treated to a fascinating talk by a guest speaker.

  • day 5

    Hatfield House

    We travel northwards to Hatfield House, home of the 7th Marquess and Marchioness of Salisbury and their family. The house was built in 1611 by Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, one of Elizabeth I’s most important advisors. There are superb examples of Elizabethan craftsmanship such as the Grand Staircase with its elaborate carving and the rare stained glass window in the private chapel, while the State Rooms are rich in paintings, fine furniture and tapestries and we learn more on our exclusive, out-of-hours Champagne guided tour. Hatfield is a sought-after filming location and has featured in many films and TV shows, including The Crown, Bridgerton, Rebecca, Anna Karenina and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. Later we check in to the stunning Ickworth Hotel on the Ickworth Estate – a magnificent National Trust property, where we stay for the next two nights.

  • day 6

    Holkham Hall and Ickworth House

    This morning we enjoy a private guided tour led by one of the most experienced Hall Stewards followed by refreshments at Holkham Hall, an elegant 18th-century country mansion and the current home to the 8th Earl of Leicester and his family. We then return to the Ickworth Estate, where we explore Ickworth House itself. This Neo-classical mansion is most notable for its enormous Rotunda commissioned by the 4th Earl of Bristol to house his priceless treasures.

  • day 7

    Doddington Hall

    Begun in 1595 by the great Elizabethan architect Robert Smythson, Doddington Hall was completed in 1600 and has never been sold or cleared out since. Still a much loved and lived-in family home, this fine Elizabethan mansion’s unfussy, symmetrical looking exterior contrasts with an elegant Georgian interior, full of captivating collections of weaponry, textiles, ceramics and family portraits that reflect 400 years of unbroken family occupation. We learn more on our guided tour of the hall and gardens. From here, we make our way to Middlethorpe Hall & Spa near York, where we stay for the next three nights.

  • day 8

    Chatsworth House

    Today we visit Chatsworth House with its grand interiors and extensive art collection. This magnificent treasure is home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and has witnessed 16 generations of the powerful Cavendish family. We also enjoy a light lunch here.

  • day 9

    Castle Howard and York

    Our first visit of the day is to Castle Howard, home to the Howard family for over 300 years, where we enjoy a private guided tour with refreshments and a complimentary guidebook. Designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, Castle Howard has twice appeared as Brideshead in film and television adaptations of Evelyn Waugh’s classic novel, as well as providing the backdrop for various scenes in the hit Netflix series, Bridgerton. This magnificent 18th-century residence, surmounted with its iconic gilded dome, offers world-renowned collections and stunning architecture, all set within 1,000 acres of breathtaking scenery. We then return to York. The city is steeped in history, from its founding by the Romans in 71AD to its wealth as a medieval wool trading center, and there is plenty of evidence of this fascinating past left to admire, including the Roman city walls and the surviving medieval streets known as the Shambles. A must-see is York Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe and home to some of the most stunning stained glass windows that have led to the Minster being described as ‘the Sistine Chapel of England’. There is then free time to find somewhere for dinner in York.

  • day 10

    Harewood House

    When Edwin Lascelles started building Harewood House in 1759, he employed the finest craftsmen of the time: architect John Carr, interior designer Robert Adam, furniture maker Thomas Chippendale and visionary landscape gardener Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. The house is also filled with an outstanding art collection. Harewood is still home to the Lascelles family and reflects the changing tastes and styles of the past 250 years and we learn more on our tailor-made tour followed by lunch. Later we check in to the Stapleford Park Country House Hotel in Leicestershire where we stay overnight.

  • day 11

    Burghley House

    This morning we start our journey south, stopping to enjoy a guided tour of Burghley House, cited as England’s greatest Elizabethan house, surrounded by magnificent parkland. Home to William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I, Burghley offers a unique glimpse into the way great houses have been lived in from the time of Elizabeth I to the present day. Here we have time to explore the breathtaking State Rooms and the house’s historic collection of paintings, ceramics and works of art, many of which still stand where they were first recorded in 1688. We continue on to Hartwell House & Spa, one of the National Trust’s Historic House Hotels, where we stay overnight.

  • day 12

    Blenheim Palace

    Our last visit is to Blenheim Palace, designed on an awe-inspiring scale by Vanbrugh and set in beautiful parkland landscaped by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. As the seat of the Dukes of Marlborough, the palace is synonymous with the Churchill family and is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. A permanent exhibition commemorates the life of this famous wartime Prime Minister, whilst the magnificent State Rooms reveal a superb collection of tapestries, paintings, porcelain and furniture and we learn more on our audio-guided tour followed by a delicious afternoon tea. We then check in to the Macdonald Windsor Hotel, where we enjoy a farewell dinner together.

  • day 13

    Departure

    A private transfer will take you back to Heathrow airport for your return flight home.

Everything you need to know about the tour

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