Places in history

If our places could talk they'd have some stories to tell. Discover their rich histories and watch them spring to life before your eyes

Two gardeners place the last flowers into the dried flower Christmas garland in the Great Hall at Cotehele, Cornwall
Historic photos decorating a Christmas tree in the Mansion at Attingham

Experience a historic Christmas 

Experience the traditions of times past this Christmas. There's lots to discover, from Tudor feasts and Victorian Christmas trees to the hustle and bustle of a 1930s kitchen on Christmas Eve.

Step back in time

Significant places

Visitors on the drive to the west front at Montacute House, Somerset

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 exterior of Greenway, Devon

Places that inspired great literature 

Some of the houses, gardens and landscapes we look after have inspired famous writers, playwrights and poets. Here's our pick of the best.

Children playing outside at Speke Hall, Garden and Estate, Merseyside

Tudor connections at our places 

The places we look after have many links to the Tudor period. They’ve received royal visitors, hidden Catholic priests and witnessed pivotal events.

Christabel Pankhurst in a suffragette procession, 1911

Women and Power exhibitions, art installations and events 

Whether for or against the movement, our history is peppered with accounts of the struggle for suffrage. As part of the Women and Power programme, many of our places are hosting exhibitions, art installations and events to bring these stories to life.

Hear both sides of the story
The cast of Downton Abbey pose in front of the houses at Lacock

For film and TV lovers 

Find out which of our historic mansions and magnificent landscapes can be seen on-screen. You can look out for them in popular TV dramas such as Game of Thrones, and in brand new films.

The Marconi Centre at Poldhu, Lizard, Cornwall

Eight places that helped change the world 

From the house where Sir Isaac Newton first discovered gravity to the childhood homes of the Beatles and the site of the first radio broadcast, discover the places that inspired some revolutionary ideas.

See where history was made

Design through the ages

The Winter Parlour at Canons Ashby, Northamptonshire

Interior design through the ages 

As fashions change over the eras, so do our homes. Discover centuries of design innovation through the places we care for.

A path winding through the garden at Dunham Massey, Cheshire

Gardens through the ages 

Learn about medieval, Tudor, Stuart, Georgian, Victorian and 20th-century gardens, and where to see our finest examples.

Visitors looking at open drawer of collections cabinet

Collections online 

Our collections are an important part of our heritage. From artistic treasures to the quirky and bizarre, you can explore more than 800,000 objects on our collections site.

Search our online collections

Heritage

Learn more about how we look after for the special places in our care and get a glimpse of some of the conservation projects we're working on at the moment.

Find out more on heritage