Travel PROPERTIES’ LINKS TO
many National Trust places having connections with far flung locations, visitors don’t have to travel too far from home to go on a journey of discovery. Be whisked away to exotic destinations, without the need for a passport this summer...
BELTON ESTATE Lincolnshire
While often described as the perfect English country house estate, Belton takes visitors on a journey across the world. Take a stroll through the Italian Garden, sit awhile in the Dutch Garden, or step inside the mansion and explore the rich variety of global treasures from European portraits to Chinese porcelain.
BIDDULPH GRANGE GARDEN Staffordshire
This quirky garden takes visitors on a global journey from an Italian parterre to the pyramids of Egypt and from a Victorian vision of China to a recreation of a Himalayan glen. Highlights include rhododendrons, summer bedding displays, a Dahlia Walk and the oldest surviving golden larch in Britain, brought from China in the 1850s.
BLICKLING ESTATE Norfolk
Be whisked away to distant lands on a visit to Blickling Estate. Head into the house to take in the 52 18th-century prints – works by Rubens, Raphael, Claude and Reynolds in the print room – one of which, the Tomb of Cestius, may have inspired the stunning pyramidal Mausoleum out in the parkland, which might be more at home in Egypt.
DUDMASTON HALL Shropshire
©National Trust Images/andrew Butler
Before retiring to Dudmaston in 1966, Sir George and Lady Labouchere spent many years abroad, while Sir George worked as a diplomat for the British Embassy. The galleries and exhibitions tell stories of their travels, through an impressive collection of Modern Art and sculpture. A display of fans, dating from 1770-1950, transports visitors across the globe to a time where status and power was silently expressed by le langue d’eventail (the language of the fan) at balls and at court.
FELBRIGG HALL Norfolk
Step inside the Cabinet Room and be transported to Venice by magnificent oil paintings hanging on the crimson silk damask-lined walls. Collected during a European Grand Tour in the 18th-century, landmarks including the Grand Canal and Rialto Bridge are vividly brought to life in this vibrant room. Outside, the Walled Garden is brimming with Mediterranean plants.
ICKWORTH ESTATE Suffolk
From the iconic Rotunda with its innovative Italianate gardens to the structured parkland, Ickworth Estate is a dream of Rome within the heart of Suffolk and was the vision of the Earl Bishop. This year a new exhibiwith tion, Ickworth: A Design Masterpiece, takes a closer look at the estate’s architectural history and influences.
OXBURGH ESTATE Norfolk
The Parterre at Oxburgh Estate was known by the family as the French Garden, created for the 6th Baronet in 1848, following a trip to France. Traces of coal and cement suggest it was originally coloured with minerals as well as flowers, before being planted with potatoes to help the war effort. Work is now underway to refurbish this garden feature.
SHUGBOROUGH ESTATE Staffordshire
Follow in the footsteps of the Ansons, journeying across continents at Shugborough Estate, home to impressive examples of replica Grecian architecture. The Chinese House, designed from sketches made in Canton in 1747, is one of the earliest examples of oriental design in the UK.
SUTTON HOO Suffolk
At Sutton Hoo, a reminder of the cultured society established by the Anglo-saxons, see a replica of the famous helmet influenced by Roman and Swedish helmets and the Sutton Hoo shield, while other treasures can be linked to Sri Lanka, Egypt and other parts of Europe.
UPTON HOUSE AND GARDENS Warwickshire
Be whisked off to Venice while gazing at works by Guardi and Canaletto, or immerse yourself in the serene open landscape of the Netherlands, as painted by Jacob van Ruisdael in Le Coup de Soleil.
WICKEN FEN Cambridgeshire
The Fens are full of Dutch influence and bear many resemblances to the northern Netherlands with wide, open landscapes and big skies. Dutch engineers helped drain the Fens in the 17th-century.