Favorite National Trust Property?

Ightham Mote, Kent serene and peaceful in the winter sunshine.

This is a great thread. We haven't travelled up 'north' yet, but there are so many great properties there that is is a must on our 'to see' list. We also like English Heritage. CADW for Wales and private homes, too. Thank you!

Below is a link that shows a map of UK with all properties, not just NT. You can filter your choice by the colour code on the map...using the key along the top menu. Mouseover the pins on the map for property names.

www.walkingclub.org.uk/historic-houses-castles-gardens-ruins/index.shtml

I love Stourhead in Wiltshire. It's a huge property and known mostly for it's park and lake in the autumn with the acers. It's 1/ 1/2 hrs away fr us and a bit awkward to get to (near Longleat) but worth a journey. Also like Montacute House, Lacock Abbey and Village, Dyrham Park and we have a property right on our doorstep now, Tyntesfield.

Oo, that's a tough one! So many beauties to choose from. However, like Grannaby, I felt instantly at home at Coleton Fishacre. It's a very comfortable house and very welcoming and I could really imagine living there. We were there at rhododendron time & the gardens were so beautiful then. Nearer to home is my other favourite, Croome Court, which we've visited several times & watched restoration on the stunning house. The gardens & grounds are Capability Brown at his very best.

Eyam Hall in Derbyshire which is a relatively recent NT property. It was a family house for a few hundred years and still has a small friendly feel to it. Worth a visit.

Chartwell so interesting.

Coleton Fishacre, a comfortably gorgeous house built for the d'Oyly Carte family and furnished in art deco style, Cothele, one of the least altered Tudor houses in the UK and Bradley Manor, one of the most complete mediaeval houses in Devon. I like my houses to look and feel as much as possible as they would have done when they were first occupied.

Ightam Mote in Kent. A real little gem with a fascinating story as well.

Colton Fishacre in Devon is my favourite. A beautiful Art Deco House and lovely views and walks along the coastal path. Followed closely by Lacock Abbey Wiltshire. Lovely house, lovely village and lovely walks.

The one I know best, as it's very near, is Speke Hall in Liverpool - great old house and lovely grounds on the edge of the Mersey. Lots of aircraft though as it's next to John Lennon Airport.
Enjoyed Lindisfane Castle earlier this year, not huge but unusual and Bodnant Gardens are stunning, especially late spring/early summer.

Torn between 2 - Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal is spectacular, I have visited many times. My other favourite is Igtham Mote, calm secluded setting, my lat DH & I visited many times & saw a lot of the restoration work, sadly both are too far away for me to visit.

Many more beautiful places, now I live in Devon more to explore, only done Coleton Fishacre which we loved, will go again, Greenway not too far from where I live & Bradley just down the road, easy to forget the ones on "your doorstep"

I have lived all over Britain so have been able to visit many NT places but still lots to visit - think I need a "bucket list"

Montecute is sensational though it is hard to pick an absolute favourite. We live near Cliveden so for thirty years we have regarded its beautiful grounds and gardens as an extension of our own garden! We love Standen, Hatchlands, Basildon, The Vyne and, alas, poor Clandon, which was burnt to a cinder a little while ago. Each house has its own particular magic whether it be the architecture, the contents, the history, the literary or other connections, the grounds or any combination thereof.

Calke Abbey is wonderfully different place to visit. it shows the other side of grand house living, when the last owner left it was photographed, everything removed, stabilised and put back as it was. The owner lived alone and when he passed by the servants had to face the wall, he would frequently fire them for something, but as he never saw their faces the housekeeper would move them to different part of the house.

Well worth a visit, The National Memorial Arboretum is not too far away

BPJ

Castleward in County Down. Lovely house, great grounds for walking and beautiful views over Strangford Lough. Also, we live 5 minutes from Rowallane Gardens in Saintfield which we stunning at the moment with autumn colour.

Not sure if they are national trust, but Beamish Open Air Museum and Alnwick Castle and Alnwick Gardens are really worth a visit.

Dunham Massey in Cheshire - a lovely house and a garden that is interesting all year round and there's beautiful park land to explore. Not far off is Tatton Hall and Park. The gardens are magnificent with room to roam and the Park with its meres is frequented by the dog walkers and cyclists of nearby Knutsford. I could go on about the historic houses of Cheshire, but just come and see for yourselves - Lyme Hall and Park, Little Moreton Hall, Quarry Bank Mill.... Bramhall Hall isn't NT, but what a beautiful building!

Wightwick is lovely, as is Moseley Old Hall, not too far from Wightwick. Moseley is a 16th century manor house which played a part in helping Charles II escape the Roundheads after the battle of Worcester. And of course, also within hailing distance we have Boscobel where stands the (son of) the legendary oak in which the king hid.

I think we are fortunate here in the West Midlands having several NT properties to choose from. When I visit my sons in Oxfordshire, there doesn't seem to be much NT property unless you travel a fair distance.

I could give an informed choice if I had seen more nationwide, instead of the few in my corner of England. We've had joint NT membership for a couple of years and very much enjoy a day out at their various sites. All of them have been great, a couple of stand outs so far for me are Montecute House, an Elizabethan manor house, which I think may be Somerset. Particulary remember some etchings in Latin a child of the house had done on a window pane, back in possibly the 17th or 18th century, I think the child in question was being tutored and became bored. I also very much enjoyed visiting Chartwell, Churchill's home in Kent and would echo Nan Kate's observations "you feel he has just gone out of the room and will be back. Nymans and Batemans in Sussex and Scotney Castle in Kent were glorious and a couple of lovely Jacobean places in Norfolk on a recent trip. Hope to see more I rather fancy Clivedon in Buckinghamshire famours for the Profumo scandal next.

Blickling Hall, Norfolk.

My favourite is Kedleston Hall near Derby which I much prefer to Calke Abbey. I find Calke Abbey really depressing

We've been NT members since DD1 was born, 1971, and are fortunate to have lots of lovely properties within our reach. Love Standen (yes, could live there), and visited beautiful Colton Fishacre for the first time this summer, whilst staying with friends in Devon, and could quite happily move in there. Sheffield Park and Wakehurst Place Autumn colours are spectacular this year.

Sutton Hoo in Suffolk - where they unearthed the imprint of an ancient ship in a burial mound and found treasure - a fabulous helmet, shield, sceptre etc which are now in The British Museum.
It is so atmospheric there with a fascinating back story. Since the National Trust took it over they have improved the visiting experience no end. They have opened Mrs Pretty's house now.

The nearest National Trust house to us is Hardwick Hall but last time we went I thought it was very gloomy. The tapestries are spectacular - I suppose that's why the light levels have to be kept down. My favourite stately home is not NT though. It is beautiful, timeless Haddon Hall.

OoooH! I forgot Hill House in Helensburgh. I could definitely live there!

We are fortunate to live near Baddesley Clinton and Packwod House in Warwickshire. Beautiful historic houses set in picturesque gardens.

Cragside in Northumberland & Tyntesfield near Bristol.