Houses

We have more than 300 houses in our care, from the grand and imposing to the small and quirky

The Long Gallery at Powis Castle and Garden

Costumed education assistant with children building a wooden house at Erddig

For little legs

How do you keep the kids entertained on a rainy day? Head to one of the special places we look after for some great activities that won't be ruined by a downpour. They can run around in an indoor adventure play area, play dress up or take part in a house trail and search for clues.

Visitors in the Billiard Room at Polesden Lacey, Surrey

For longer legs

Searching for indoor inspiration? You can play a piano in a Jazz Age house or have a game of pool in a Tudor home. Watch re-created early experiments into electricity, browse art exhibitions, or go behind the scenes at our conservation stores.

Upstairs and downstairs

An archive black and white photograph of Mrs Greville standing with a dog in her arms

Places with a royal story to tell

Many of the places we look after have connections to kings, queens and other members of royalty. Here's our pick of the best. Why not visit to uncover the full story?

Children cooking in the kitchens at Erdigg, Clwyd

Get a taste of life below stairs

We look after many country estates and grand houses where servants worked to maintain the house and grounds. Visit one of our top spots for a glimpse of life below stairs.

Visitors at Hill Top admire Beatrix Potter's dolls' house

Places with the best dolls' houses

Whether you’re seven or 70, tiny houses for miniature people can be fascinating. We have a wonderful variety of dolls’ houses at the places we look after. Here's our pick of the best.

Interior design through the ages

Interior design: Victorian
Interior design: 20th century
Interior design: Tudor
Interior design: Georgian

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Interior design: Victorian

Visit our places like Penrhyn Castle, Wales and Tyntesfield, Somerset, to see examples of Victorian interior design. Here's a short guide to the eclectic styles of the era.
Interior design: 20th century

Coleton Fishacre, Devon, and The Homewood, Surrey, both boast striking Modernist décor. Learn more about this 20th-century design movement and where to see it.
Interior design: Tudor

The Tudor period was an age of prosperity, often resulting in lavishly built and decorated houses. We look after some beautiful examples, including Montacute House, Somerset, and Canons Ashby, Northamptonshire.
Interior design: Georgian

You can see the elegant styles that were in fashion during the Georgian period at places including Croft Castle in Herefordshire and Basildon Park, Berkshire. Here's our short guide.

Stories from our places

Scandalous stories from our places

The places we look after have rich histories, and some of them are hiding stories sordid enough to raise a blush. Intrigued? Read on…

The sixteenth-century Gate Tower on the West Front at Coughton Court, Warwickshire

Connections to the Gunpowder Plot

Links to the 1605 Gunpowder Plot can be found at historic houses and former hunting forests we look after including Lyveden New Bield, home to infamous plotter Francis Tresham.