With over 3,000 stately homes in the UK, we're spoiled for choice when it comes to visiting properties draped in finery and oozing grandeur. While visiting them all may be a near-impossible task, here are ten of the most distinctive stately homes, each with their own unique merit. Once owned by King Charles II, Audley End in Essex captures a moment in time of major technological advancements.
Thanks to its 18th Century owner John Griffin Griffin, this Jacobean mansion earned its place in history as one of the first to be installed with state-of-the-art flushing toilets, piped water and servant bell pulls. Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire however is a lesson in grandeur - even Netflix picked it as a filming location for the opulent Bridgerton series. The colossal Baroque masterpiece is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only stately home in the UK outside of the royal residences called a palace.
The Georgian home called Nostell in West Yorkshire is an ode to the esteemed Thomas Chippendale. It features over 100 of the furniture maker's pieces, making it the perfect place to get inspiration for luxury interior design. Greenway in Devon was once Agatha Christie's family holiday home, and you can see why.
Situated on the Dart river surrounded by serene countryside, it feels like an escape from modern life where you can still see her personal belongings in place from the 1950s. Stourhead in Wiltshire is for green fingered enthusiasts. The Palladian house is surrounded by picturesq.