Historic Houses in Southern England

Lacock, Chippenham, Wiltshire  

Lacock Abbey was founded in 1232 and converted into a country house in the mid-16th century, the cloisters and monastic rooms of the Abbey have survived largely intact. On the... more

Wimborne Minster, Dorset  

Kingston Lacy is a 17th century house that was the home of the Bankes family for over 300 years, and replaced the ruined family seat at Corfe Castle. The house contains an... more

John Montagu Building, Beaulieu, Hampshire  

Palace House, once the Great Gatehouse of Beaulieu Abbey, is the family home of Lord Montagu since 1538. The house contains splendid rooms full of fine portraits, pictures,... more

Chard, Dorset  

Forde Abbey is a Cistercian monastery, founded mid-12th century, and has been a private home since 1543. The buildings seen today almost all existed when the monks departed.... more

Ascott Estate Office, Wing, Leighton Buzzard, Buckinghamshire  

Ascott House was originally a half timbered Jacobean farmhouse, bought in 1876 by the de Rothschild family and considerably transformed and enlarged to form a family home. It... more

33 The Close, Salisbury, Wiltshire  

Salisbury Cathedral: Be inspired by the peace and beauty of one of Britain´s finest medieval cathedrals, Salisbury offers a warm welcome to all who visit. Set within eight... more

Stonor, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire  

Stonor Park has been the historic family home of the Stonor family, for over 850 years. The House and Chapel date from the 12th century with later additions. Inside there are... more

Hamptworth, Landford, Salisbury, Wiltshire  

Hamptworth Lodge is a Grade II Jacobean style manor house, built by Harold Moffatt with the help of architect Guy Dawber, on the site of the original house. Most of the... more

Knebworth, Hertfordshire  

Knebworth House has been home to the Lytton family since 1490, and now has a gothic look with its turrets, cupolas and griffins. The interior of the house has a variety of... more

Chastleton, Moreton-in-Marsh, Oxfordshire  

Chastleton House is one of England´s finest and most complete Jacobean houses filled with a mixture of rare and everyday objects - furniture and textiles collected since its... more

Rotherfield Greys, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire  

Greys Court is a picturesque 14th century house that was much added to, with one surviving tower dating from 1347. It has been the home of the Brunner family since the 1930s... more

Kingston Bagpuize, Abingdon, Oxfordshire  

Kingston Bagpuize House is a beautiful 1660s manor house, remodelled in the early 1770s. The drawing room was once the entrance hall, which is now at the rear of the house.... more

Athelhampton, Dorchester, Dorset  

Athelhampton House is one of the country´s finest 15th century manor houses. The Great Hall was built by Sir William Martyn in 1485 and the west wing is Elizabethan in period... more

Warminster, Wiltshire  

Nestling within 900 acres of Capability Brown landscaped grounds, Longleat, built by Sir John Thynne, is one of the best examples of Elizabethan architecture in Britain. On... more

Estate Office, Faringdon, Oxfordshire  

Buscot Park is an 18th century house, housing the Faringdon Collection of fine paintings, including works by Rembrandt, Murillo, Reynolds, Rossetti and the famous Briar Rose... more

Waddesdon, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire  

Waddesdon Manor was built between 1874 and 1889, in the style of a 16th century French cháteau, for Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild. There is a large display of French 18th... more

Bramdean, Alresford, Hampshire  

Hinton Ampner house was completely destroyed by fire in 1960, along with Ralph Dutton´s collections of fine English furniture and Italian paintings. Rather than abandon the... more

Hatfield, Hertfordshire  

Hatfield House - Visit this stunning Jacobean house within its own Park and see the surviving wing of the Tudor Royal Palace, where Elizabeth I spent much of her childhood.... more

Valley Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire  

Hughenden Manor was the home of Victorian Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli from 1848 until his death in 1881. Most of his furniture, pictures and books remain here, his... more

The Close, Salisbury, Wiltshire  

Mompesson House, an elegant and spacious 18th century house in Cathedral Close, was built for Charles Mompesson in 1701. It has magnificent plasterwork, a fine oak staircase... more

The Estate Office, Wilton, Salisbury, Wiltshire  

Wilton House has been the ancestral home of the Earls of Pembroke for 450 years and was rebuilt, after a fire in 1647, by Inigo Jones and John Webb. There were further... more

Estate Office, Bowood House, Calne, Wiltshire  

Bowood House, the family home of the Marquis and Marchioness of Lansdowne, was built during the 18th century, to the designs of Henry Keene and Robert Adam. The Chapel and... more

Woburn, Bedfordshire  

Woburn Abbey has been home to the Dukes of Bedford for almost 450 years. It houses one of the most important private art collections that includes work by Van Dyck,... more

Church Road, Shaw, Newbury, Berkshire  

Shaw House was built in 1581 by Newbury clothier Thomas Dolman. This fine Elizabethan building has enjoyed a colourful past from a Duke’s country retreat to a school. It was... more

Rowlands Castle, Hampshire  

Stansted Park is a real Upstairs-Downstairs Edwardian Country House in the forest. It is a great destination and a special event venue all year round. The state rooms are... more

Winchester, Hampshire  

Avington Park is a Palladian mansion standing in its own parkland overlooking the River Itchen, the state rooms on show include a beautifully painted main hall, the ballroom... more

Mapledurham, Reading, Berkshire  

Historic home of the Blount family for over 500 years, Mapledurham House is a beautiful Elizabethan mansion. The house contains a fine collection of paintings, portraits,... more

Stourton, Warminster, Wiltshire  

Stourhead House is a Palladian mansion built in the 1720s, which was home to the Hoare family, who are the owners of Britain´s only surviving private bank. The entrance hall... more

Sherborne St John, Basingstoke, Hampshire  

The Vyne was built in the 16th century for Lord Sandys, Henry VIII´s Lord Chamberlain. The masterpiece of the building is the central staircase by John Chute, with its fluted... more

Breamore, Fordingbridge, Hampshire  

Breamore House is set above the village of Breamore on the edge of the New Forest and was completed in 1583 by the Dodington family. It was purchased in the early 18th century... more

West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire  

The house at West Wycombe Park is among the most theatrical and Italianate in England, its facades formed as classical temples. It is the home of the Hell-Fire Club and was... more

East Cowes, Isle of Wight  

Osborne House was built for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a private home. It was designed by Prince Albert and built by Thomas Cubitt in Italianate style. Many of the... more

Mottisfont, Romsey, Hampshire  

Mottisfont Abbey is a 12th century Augustinian priory which was converted into a private house after the Dissolution of the Monasteries and still contains the spring or `font´... more

Lydiard Park, Lydiard Tregoze, Swindon, Wiltshire  

Lydiard House is the ancestral home of the Viscounts Bolingbroke. The beautifully restored Palladian house contains the family’s furnishings and portraits, exceptional... more

Lower Basildon, Reading, Berkshire  

Basildon Park, an 18th century Palladian mansion, set in 400 acres of parkland, was designed by Carr of York for Francis Sykes. The interior contains fine plasterwork,... more

Chenies, Buckinghamshire  

Chenies Manor, a Grade I listed building, was formally known as Chenies Palace. This semi-fortified brick manor house was visited on numerous occasions by Henry VIII and Queen... more

The Wakes, Selborne, Alton, Hampshire  

Discover three fascinating stories about explorers of the Natural World…… Rev.Gilbert White, 18th century naturalist is remembered as the first ecologist and author of the... more

Middle Claydon, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire  

The architecture of Claydon House includes extravagant rococo and chinoiserie decoration, with a unique Chinese Room and parquetry Grand Staircase that is so precious no one... more