MAGICAL HISTORY TOURS WITH THE CHATELAINES
Deene Park, five miles from Corby, Northamptonshire, has been the Brudenells’ family home since 1514. Charlotte, who took over in 2014 with her husband Robert, describes herself as the “defender of Deene” – and boy has she had a lot to defend: Deene, mentioned in the Domesday Book, built on over the years, and requisitioned during the Second World War, needed buckets of love when they took it on. Today, it is a living, breathing family home, not truly big enough to have a formal public-private divide, so when you come to Deene, you get the whole experience. The Brudenells’ star attraction is Ronald, the 7th Earl of Cardigan’s charger from the famous 1854 Charge of the Light Brigade, now taxidermied, who lives under the stairs.
Charlotte says:
“I love Deene madly, badly, truly, deeply. We’re so proud of this house.” deenepark.com
THE DUCHESS OF ARGYLL AND INVERARAY CASTLE
Inveraray, made even more famous by its recent starring role in the BBC’s A Very British Scandal, about the 11th Duke of Argyll and his third wife Margaret, is a proper fairy-tale castle. Begun in 1743 as a summer house, it boasts a 69ft-high hall complete with 1,300 extraordinarily pointy weapons: muskets, axes and pikes – oh my. The current Argylls took over in 2001 and brought the house up to a comfortable standard; the armoury hall alone takes 800 litres of paint each time. The Duke of Argyll, who is chief of Clan Campbell, can often be found behind the till in the castle shop – a very modern duke indeed.
The Duchess says:
“I always forget that I am a duchess because I really don’t feel like a duchess. I think duchesses should be much older than me, much grander and more impressive.” inveraray-castle.com
DEMETRA LINDSAY AND HEDINGHAM CASTLE
Hedingham Castle, 18 miles from Colchester, is two houses for the price of one – a Norman keep and an 18th-century country house. Hedingham was home to the de Veres, later Earls of Oxford, for over 500 years, before it changed hands a few times and ended up in the safe grasp of Jason and Demetra Lindsay – an “Old Masters” specialist and architect respectively. Hedingham was dysfunctional when they moved in, but today it is a beautifully decorated family home. The keep is used for weddings, and for visitors on the Duchess tour, who will be able to stay the night.
Demetra says:
“When we got married, Jason said we’re not going to be ruled by three things – convention, money or Hedingham. Well, of course, we are absolutely dominated by all three. You can’t live at Hedingham without thinking about how you’re going to pay for it.” hedinghamcastle.co.uk
LADY CARA WILLOUGHBY AND BIRDSALL HOUSE
Birdsall House, on the edge of the Yorkshire Wolds, is the centre of the Willoughby family estate; once upon a time, it was one of many estates. Enormous death duties put paid to most of those, and now Birdsall is the distillation of centuries of Willoughby collections, including family portraits from 1573, with some painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds.
A pretty house, now home to Lady Cara, her husband the Hon James Willoughby and their children, its Oval Room is said to be the width of a horse’s jump. Birdsall has limited public access, so travellers adding it to their schedule will have a truly unique experience.
Lady Cara says:
“When you live above the shop, there’s a pressure to hand it on in the same condition or better than you inherited it. These houses have changed so much in the past 100 years, it’s a totally different way of life.”