Mia

I would appreciate your comments on which of these is worthwhile, and which ones are not. Sorry for the long list, but I am trying to whittle it down to the very best. Thanks for your help. <BR> <BR>Holkham Hall Harewood House <BR>Houghton Hall Woburn Abbey <BR>Blenheim Waddesdon Manor <BR>Radgley Hall Holker Hall <BR>Warwick Castle Kedleston Hall <BR>Longleat Hidcote <BR>Owlpen Manor Snowshill Manor <BR>Painswick Rococo Garden Sudeley Castle <BR>Westonbrit Arboretum Petworth <BR>Mottisfont Abbey Hatfield House <BR>Knebworth Hever Castle <BR>Wilton House Penshurst <BR>Sissinghurst <BR>Castle Howard

ron

I've only been to six of them. The only one I would strongly NOT recommend is Snowshill Manor - an uninteresting manor house filled with less interesting junk collected by an eccentric owner. For me, Warwick Castle, Sudely Castle, Penshurst Place and Blenheim Palace would get the highest recommendation. Hever Castle was ok, but I suspect it wouldn't be on anyone's list if it weren't for the Anne Boleyn connexion.

Jan

A agree with the previous poster re Warwick, Sudeley and Blenheim, of the others I know:- <BR>Woburn, a must if you like the paintings of Canaletto. <BR>Waddesdon, very OTT not one of my favourite NT houses. <BR>Petworth, wonderful collection of paintings, worth it just for the Turners, parkland setting. <BR>Mottisfont, if you are visiting the area in June its a must to see the old roses in the walled gardens, the setting is lovely by the river Test but not much of the abbey itself is open to visitors. <BR>Wilton House, worth a visit IMO. <BR>Castle Howard, definitely definitely worth a visit. <BR>May I just add another place to your list that I think is a must see? Chatsworth House in Derbyshire. <BR>

alex

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.

Mike

I love Westonbirt, but it's free for me to get in, and it's VERY seasonal (best in spring/autumn). As a garden, it is very understated, so it would NOT make my list of must-see places. <BR> <BR>They have some very interesting plans for the future ...

janis

This may not help much - but EVERY place on your list is "worthwhile". The only one I have not visited is Kedleston Hall. Some are world-best of their type (Warwick, Sissinghurst, Blenheim, Chatsworth and Castle Howard), the others are merely wonderful. <BR> <BR>But since it would take a very long trip to see them all, just pick the few areas you want to visit and see all of them in those areas. <BR> <BR>(If you are going to Kent/Sussex for Sissinghurst, Penshurst and Hever also include Chartwell, Scotney Castle/Garden and Bodiam Castle)

Mavis

Agree w. previous poster re: Heritage Pass. Unless, you are going to be there for longer than month, then makes sense (cost-wise) to get National Trust membership. <BR>My opinion: <BR>Woburn Abbey - no - not if you are seeing some of the others <BR>Blenheim - over the top but so much history is connected w. place <BR>Waddesdon - this or Blenheim <BR>Ragley - no <BR>Warwick - yes! <BR>Longleat - yes <BR>Hidcote - yes <BR>Snowshill - yes if you are the collectible type - will make you come home and clean house, no if you don't like clutter/eccentricity <BR>Sudeley - yes! <BR>Hever - maybe - so many tourists <BR>Penshurst - no, unless fan of Elizabethan England - lots of history <BR>Sissinghurst - yes! <BR> <BR>Would add: <BR>Stourhead - yes! <BR>Chartwell - Churchill's home <BR>Knole - home of Sackville-West - connection to Sissinghurst <BR>Bateman's - Rudyard Kipling's home <BR>Chastleton - you have to book ahead to view but interesting example of an unrestored NT property <BR>Kelmscott Manor - if you are into Arts & Crafts/home of William Morris <BR>Chatsworth <BR>Others in North Wales and Cornwall that are worthwhile if you are headed that way.