A strange building, built of Threes! Very symbolic and a bit spooky…read more Built in the 1590s by a devout catholic, Sir Thomas Tresham, it is supposed to have a tunnel leading to Rothwell a couple of miles away!

A very interesting place to visit. A buidling from the 1500's built by Thomas Tresham, all relating…read moreto 'threes'! There is a small portacabin with a member of staff in it who can sell you a visitors guide and answer any questions you may have. There is very limited parking and I think it's only open for part of the year, so best to check on the website before you go to avoid disappointment. There is a small admission charge. I wouldn't like to be inside when it gets dark! It's quite close to the A14 in Northants, and only takes and hour or so to visit, so is well worth stopping off there if you are looking for something a bit different to do.

Fantastic dishes and wine selection. Service was quick and polite. Would definitely go back again…read more Listed as fast food but really a restaurant!

When I was a lad it was a wonderful library. Up the enormous spiral stair to the marvellously musty…read morebooks. Biggles, William, Doctor Dolittle, everything a boy could wish for! No idea what it is used for now. From the Rothwell Town site: One such building is the delightful MARKET HOUSE on Market Hill, designed by William Grumbold for the somewhat eccentric Sir Thomas Tresham (1545-1605) who was also known as Thomas the Builder because of his passion for strange and unusual buildings. As a Catholic at a time of religious persecution, he was to spend long periods in prison for his beliefs. Unable to openly practice his faith, he encoded symbols of it into his buildings. It is no coincidence that Market House is cross shaped. Tresham gifted the building to the town, of which he was Lord of the Manor, but although work started in 1577 it would be 300 years before it was finished by local architect J A Gotch.

The Tree Cathedral is another hidden gem of Milton Keynes. I walked in the area back in March when…read morethe trees were all bare but even then it looked insanely cool. I've looked up photos of the tree cathedral in full bloom and it's just beautiful. Constructed in 1986 to look like Norwich Cathedral, I'm sure it's a great spot for small ceremonies. It's divided into various sections all meticulously planned which you can read about on the plaque right in front of the cathedral. It has a nice stone path down the center for easy navigation. Upon reading a bit more on the Tree Cathedral when I got home - you can now scatter ashes there. Peaceful and creepy at the same time. The Tree Cathedral can be found opposite of Willen Lake.

Kirby Hall is an amazing place. You can go inside and walk around looking at the sky as there is no…read moreroof in parts of it. A family ticket caost about £12.00 and is well worth it to get a little glimpse of the gradour. The hall has been used in some filming including Jane Austin's Mansfield Park. The gardens ane beutifully kept, there is access for disabled,a small shop,picnic area and toilets

Although barely more than an uninhabited and ruinous shell, this fine Elizabethan house still…read moredisplays many of the ornate external features that formed part of the original building, which dates from 1570. Kirby Hall was built for Sir Humphrey Stafford, a distant family descendant of the Earls of Stafford, but he died before the work was completed, and the property was sold to Sir Christopher Hatton. Financial difficulties eventually caught up with the family successors, resulting from the cost of continual improvements and maintenance, coupled with the vast sums of money lavished on entertaining. Inevitably, Kirby Hall's importance began to decline during the 18th century, and by the middle of the 19th century this imposing and beautiful family home had been deserted, neglected, and subjected to shameful destruction in order to pay off a substantial gambling debt. Thank fully the national trust have tried to preserve this magnificent home and it really is breathtaking.

Beautiful, romantic castle set on top of a hill looking over the forest. This is a day out for all…read morethe family. Stuffed full of early medieval history with very helpful guides to talk you around the place. The gardens are lovely and your kids with think the elephant hedge is fantastic. Lots of events throughout the year. Also events and jousting company in the grounds.

Recognised by William the Conqueror as a strategically important site, Rockingham was established…read moreas an administrative base of the Normans by the end of the 11th century. But William was only continuing the trend set much earlier by pre-historic settlers. The natural defences encompassing this elevated site made it an ideal location for commanding the valley below, and since the Iron Age a hill fort of some description appears to have been positioned here. The castle remained a popular venue with successive kings, notably King John in the early years of the 13th century who not only enjoyed numerous hunting trips but also conducted much State business whilst staying at Rockingham Castle. Towards the end of the same century, Edward I demonstrated a keen interest in retaining this castle as a major royal residence by instigating a major programme of works to repair and refurbish the building. By the 15th century, however, Government operations were being handled almost entirely in London, and Rockingham Castle had ceased to become such an important venue. Consequently, Henry V was the last king to stay at Rockingham in 1422, and it was subsequently granted to Henry VI's queen and Edward IV's queen. Despite some general repairs being carried out during the succeeding years, the castle was found to be near derelict by the mid-16th century. It was at this time that Edward Watson was able to take a lease on the Rockingham estate, and for thirty years he worked on transforming the old medieval castle into a comfortable Tudor home. In 1619 Crown ownership of Rockingham Castle ended when King James I sold to Watson's grandson. Generations of the same family have occupied the castle now for some 400 years, each leaving their own mark on this magnificent house. Today the castle represents a golden-coloured architectural delight spanning some seven centuries of building.

Knebworth house, gardens and park is a brilliant family day out. The grounds are huge, the gardens…read moreare interesting, and the house is beautiful. You can park the car by the house and gardens, and also at the bottom of the park. For the kids, there is a huge adventure playground (best to do this on the way out as it's right at the bottom of the park, miles from the house and gardens), which has a good range of play equipment for pretty much any age range. In the summer they have a free bouncy castle too. The gardens are seperated into different areas, and it is all very well signposted so you won't get lost. The dinosaur garden is really good, and the kitchen garden smells heavenly in the right seasons. There is a fun maze too. The house itself is really beautiful, and you can pay extra to have tours. I could go on forever explaining everything here, but I won't. Rest assured it is well worth the entrance fee. The cafe is really expensive so take a picnic!

Burghley House is one of the grandest Elizabethan stately homes in the UK, and is surrounded by…read moregardens and extensive parkland. It has been used in over a dozen films and TV productions, including "Pride & Prejudice", "The Da Vinci Code", "Elizabeth: The Golden Age"; and "The Crown". To understand the significance of the house, a little history is helpful; it was built by Sir WIlliam Cecil (1520-1598), later Lord Burghley. He was one of the pre-eminent advisors of the Tudor period, and the closest advisor to Elizabeth I for most of her reign, acting variously as Secretary of State, Lord High Treasurer and Lord Privy Seal. His impressive tomb is in St Martin's church, in nearby Stamford. The house was built to reflect his status, paid for by the wool wealth from the Burghley estates, and his substantial income from the state appointments. As such, it is sometimes referred to as a "Prodigy House", one built on a palatial scale by noble families and courtiers, and capable of housing visiting Tudor and Stuart monarchs and their extensive retinues. The house itself was built between 1555 and 1587, and the exterior is largely faithful to this period. The design reflects the transition from a mediaeval courtyard house, with the Elizabethan desire for symmetry, to the emerging classical tastes of the Renaissance. The profusion of obelisks, turrets, chimneys and pennants is, however, thoroughly Tudor in style, and gives the house its unmistakeable profile. The interiors were not completed at Burghley's death, and reflect the emerging Baroque tastes of the 17th and early 18th centuries. There are 35 major rooms, many incredibly opulent, including those painted trompe d'oeil walls and ceilings by Antonio Verrio in 1697-99. A number of the rooms include stained glass windows, dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. The house also contains an impressive collection of over 300 paintings acquired by the 5th and 8th Earls of Exeter, mostly from Italy, as well as an important collection of Japanese export porcelain from the 17th century, and 18th century English furniture. Tours include the impressive Tudor kitchens, although the route doesn't enter through the main courtyard entrance, so it can be a bit puzzling. Much of the house remains in private occupation, though there is a lot to see in what is open to the public. The audio tours are very helpful at putting the interiors and collections into context, in what otherwise can a feel a slightly overwhelming experience. The gardens include a formal "Garden of Surprises" with a number of water features, a sculpture park, and more extensive parkland, modelled in the 18th century by Capability Brown. You can buy tickets just for the gardens, or a combined ticket for both gardens and the house. I'd leave at least an hour for the house, though we took two hours to go around (it all depends on your appetite for art and architecture). There's a cafe-restaurant in the Orangerie, and a smaller "Garden Cafe". We ate in the latter: it is a little pricey, but I found the food to be a cut above your average sandwich, and they had locally made ice cream as an extra treat.

It's okay. Very expensive for not great touring…read more Your ticket gets you into the gardens and house but only a very small portion of the home is available for viewing. In this section there are an astounding number of paintings but most are copies or unattributed. The furniture is beautiful. The gardens are pleasant but garden is a loose term. The best part was the mirror maze and the lake overlook but there were sparse plantings and almost no flowers. The orangery is one food option but the food is incredibly esoteric for a small, over priced cafe. The chicken tenders are a mediocre but safe option. Not impressed, wouldn't go back

I have a soft spot for Anthony Gormley's work, so much so I was even one of the lucky ones that…read morestood on the 4th Plinth in London. The statue represents the traditional skills of Birmingham and the Black Country practised during the Industrial Revolution. The controversy of public opinion when it was installed makes me further believe that it really does represent the Brummie and Yam-Yams naysaying nature. I can't really recall why it was so hated back in 1993 when it was given as gift from the Trustee Savings Bank, but when they moved down south there was an outcry that the Iron: Man should be moved with them. I love that it started out as an untitled work until the Iron Man nickname stuck, only for the artist to insist on making his own stamp by insisting on a stupid colon in the middle. Brilliant! Maybe my soft spot for Gormely is because he utilises many local resources to make his large scale iron works with the Iron:Man being cast at Bradley and Fosters Castings (now Firth Rixson Castings) in Willenhall. Whether you love or hate it this 6m tall, leaning man whose feet are sunk in the ground is worth a look.

The most overlooked art in victoria square. I love this art by one of my favourite artist/sculptor.read more

The ancestral home of the Washingtons in Britain offers 'a gentle stroll through three centuries of…read moreEnglish history' and houses the largest UK collection of George Washington memorabilia. A favourite place to visit for our Banbury team.

This is a wonderful historic site. The morning tours are longer, but we did an afternoon tour due…read moreto our schedule (wish we had done the longer tour!). There is a lot to see and the grounds and gardens are beautiful. The tea room is lovely and has very nice refreshments. I particularly enjoyed reading about how the home was acquired and turned into a historic site, the article is posted on the wall in the cafe. It's a bit of a drive from London but well worth it for those interested in the Washington family history or historic house museums of the period!

Wenn Ihr in der Gegend seid: das Schloss ist sehenswert,…read morewenn Ihr die Jagd liebt, aber auch, wenn die Schätze der Herrschaften Euer Interesse wecken könnten. Aber der Garten und insbesondere, der angefügte Landschaftspark mit seinem riesigen, alten Baumbestand, wird Euer Staunen erwecken. Solche Bäume sind selten geworden in Europa. Aus dem Touristen-Flyer: Woburn Abbey has been home to the Dukes of Bedford for over 300 years and is still home to the 15th Duke and his family today. When the 6th Duke inherited Woburn, Humphry Repton, the famous landscape gardener, was commissioned to produce designs to improve the gardens and park. Follow the Garden Trail information boards to find out more about the Abbey Gardens and the redevelopment over the past five years to recreated and replant Reptons original features and themed garden areas.