alex |
Aug 23rd, 2001 01:23 AM |
I have been to the following from your list (we live in Kent/London): <BR>Warwick Castle - a good all round attraction with the traditional exhibit, state rooms imaginively enhanced by Madame Tussauds waxworks and audi-visual tableaux: will take say 3-5 hours to visit. Nice setting by River Avon and good for children also. <BR> <BR>Hidcote - pictureque English country garden with charming "rooms" of separate gardens and lots of beautiful plants - will take an hour or so to visit. Very much the idea of traditional garden. <BR> <BR>Hidcote is similar to Sissinghurst with some lovely gardens as well as remains of the Elizabethan House. Sissinghurst is one of my favourite places - takes a hour or so. Best in late spring - Sept. Consider also Scotney Castle nearby - see national-trust.org.uk, a superb landscape garden with lots of colour throughout the season and Knole - grand 17 Century house with very delicate and old but dark displays in 15 or so rooms in deer park. <BR> <BR>Snowshill Manor was fascinating - small looking house and haphazard, old fashioned displays - yes, they were the "junk"/collection of the eccentric owner by they are fascinating mix of an individual, which makes it pretty distinctive, nice English gardens also. <BR> <BR>Petworth: grand rooms - but only 11 or so open, superb Turner painting and carvings, but not as satifying as the house is large but few rooms open. A must if you're a Turner fan though, with good deer park and lakes. <BR> <BR>Mottisfont Abbey - famed for its rose collection but so-so IMO - quite a small garden and only 3 or so rooms open in the house. <BR> <BR>Hever Castle: very busy in summer, but deservedly so. Like Warwick, everyone's idea of a castle/manor with good furniture and paintings, super Italian garden with lots of statues and water/hedge maze, that makes it popular for kids also. Plenty to see, but again, vv busy in summer. <BR> <BR>Penshurst - the gardens again are great - hedges and individual "rooms", a lot quieter than Hever, the House looks great from outside with good Great Hall, but disappointed than only 10 or so rooms open. <BR> <BR>Waddesdon Manor is very grand chateau with paterres and formal gardens and parkland. Good if you love ornate, Versailles style furniture and paintings from 18th Century. More like a museum than house - it was built for entertaining, and 30 or so rooms open - so takes 2 hours or so in the house alone. <BR> <BR>Haven't been to Castle Howard but its meant to be good. <BR> <BR>Would also recommend Chatsworth - the house is more like a mini-palace with excellent state rooms but pretty busy. Gardens combine parkland with superb fountains and 18th Century water features - definitely worth a few hours. <BR> <BR>Blenheim - ultra impressive exterior and parkland, but after the great hall, found the interior to be a bit disappointing as its an odd mix of 18th and 19th Century, suppose though that after the exterior, it is bound to be a bit disappointing. <BR> <BR>You have some great choices here - rather than get overloaded though, I would recommend you pick a mix of a larger house (eg Chatsworth would be my fav), Castle such as Warwick or Hever, and less "commercial" place (ie probably less family friendly) run by the National Trust - eg Sissinghurst or somewhere in the Cotswolds. <BR> <BR>You haven't mentioned any lanscape gardens, but two NT places are my favourites (probably over and above the traditional "English" gardens) - Stourhead, near Longleat - a classical garden with temples, lake and follies inspired by Italian landscapes - eg Claude and Poussin and Fountains Abbey - also a landscape garden with canals, temples and world heritage site including Britain's largest abbey ruin. You're spolit for choice!!! Consider buying a Heritage Pass if visiting many places.
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