MAGICAL HISTORY TOURS
These National Trust properties offer a truly fascinating window on the past
A ROMAN villa, Elizabethan masterpiece or Georgian gem – across the South West you’ll discover grand, ornate and quirky houses to take you back in time and spark your imagination...
CHEDWORTH ROMAN VILLA
It pays to keep your eyes fixed on the floor at Chedworth Roman Villa. This splendid villa in the Cotswolds was only rediscovered 150 years ago, and archaeological digs continue to reveal some of the finest Roman mosaics in the country, along with bathhouses, vaults and an extraordinary underfloor heating system, which was way ahead of its time. Unearthed jewellery, coins and other treasures can be seen up close in the dedicated museum.
DYRHAM PARK
Near Bath, Dyrham Park is undergoing a massive restoration, and as two of the staircases are now completed, work has moved on to the rest of the house. There are conservation tours and a new exhibition reflecting the 17th century creation of the house, and the basement has reopened where you’ll find the second-hand bookshop, Great Kitchen and Dairy.
MONTACUTE HOUSE
In Somerset head to Montacute House, an Elizabethan masterpiece with towering walls of glass and stone. At the top of the house promenade along one of the last and longest Elizabethan galleries to survive, stretching for more than 52 metres. Back in the 1600s, if it was too cold or wet to go outside, the gallery was the place to walk and play games. Nowadays you can enjoy the Long Gallery in the same way, but you can also discover fine portraits of Tudor and Jacobean kings and queens, including Henry VIII, on loan from the National Portrait Gallery.
KILLERTON
Near Exeter stands Killerton, once the family home of the Aclands. This old Devon family were heavily involved in politics for over 400 years. This is also home to the National Trust’s fascinating fashion collection – more than 20,000 pieces dating from 1690-1970, including waist-pinching corsets, fine dresses, shoes and fans.
BUCKLAND ABBEY
An old abbey that became a fine Tudor home in 1541, Buckland Abbey in Devon has a rich history. The Great Hall still has its Tudor floor, along with flamboyant stone carvings and plastered ceilings. Memories of the monks live on in the chapel and Great Barn where they stored corn. In a later life the Abbey was home to seafarer Sir Francis Drake. One of the South West’s greatest art treasures is on display at Buckland Abbey. In 2014, a self-portrait of the great Dutch artist Rembrandt was finally verified as genuine after decades of debate.
Following eight months of investigation and reexamination, this original ‘selfie’ now stands as the first Rembrandt in the Trust’s collection of 13,500 paintings.
SALTRAM
In terms of grandeur few can beat Saltram, near Plymouth. This Georgian gem has elegant suites of rooms to stroll through, including a grand saloon designed by Robert Adams and finished in 1772.
Gold and duck egg blue colour schemes and rich furnishing add to the delightful décor, including silk wall hangings from Italy.
SNOWSHILL
At the more eccentric end of home décor, few can beat Charles Wade who filled his magical home at Snowshill in Gloucestershire with deeply personal and eclectic objects. His sense of fun and theatre can only make you smile.
He rescued this near derelict house in 1919 and created a ‘stage’ for the thousands of objects that reflected his passion for skilled, handmade crafts, colour and design – from tiny toys and gadgets to penny-farthings and prams. Minimalism was not his thing.
GREENWAY
Once the Devon holiday home of famous crime writer Agatha Christie, Greenway by the River Dart remains full of items dear to her family including her Steinway piano and a library with her personal collection of books.
During the Second World War one of the US coast guards based in the house painted 13 murals around the library walls, reflecting their lives as they prepared for D-Day.
KINGSTON LACY
This lavish Dorset home was the grand passion of William John Bankes, a well-travelled collector who fashioned the house as an ‘artwork’ with rich and golden interiors inspired by Venetian palaces.
Please check the National Trust website before visiting for opening times and to find out what to expect from your visit. Some places may need booking in advance.