The British landscape is dotted with a plethora of magnificent stately homes, many of which have been standing for centuries. However, despite their old age, these homes have remained a key part of British culture, hosting a number of illustrious guests and even being used in recent film and television adaptations.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the number of stately homes open to visitors this summer, the interiors specialists at Stelrad have analysed the Instagram popularity of Britain’s period properties to create a list of the most popular stately homes to share on the ‘gram. Time to get snapping!
If you’re an Instagram scroller and lover of stately homes, maybe you’re interested in antiques too… why not check out our guide to how to buy antiques on Instagram?
Best UK stately homes
Blenheim Palace
One of the UK’s most popular stately homes is Blenheim Palace, located in Oxfordshire. The Georgian home was built in 1722 is the only non-royal, non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is open to the public for daytime visits, offering a range of activities perfect for a family day out, including a bushcraft experience, garden photographer exhibition, Olympian front crawl workshop and an outdoor cinema.
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Chatsworth House
The Derbyshire Tudor house, passed down through 16 generations of the Cavendish family, also offers a real-life stories exhibition for a chance to learn more about the historic past of the house, as well as a cinema under the stars experience, a 105-acre garden where picnics, camping and afternoon tea is welcomed! You might recognise this lovely home from popular films and TV shows like Pride and Prejudice and The Duchess.
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Castle Howard
This Baroque house in North Yorkshire is the third most Instagrammable house in the UK. Construction began in 1701, and it took over 100 years to complete and spanning the lifetimes of three Earls. Castle Howard is also home to a number of lush gardens, many of which have been used as film backdrops: Bridgerton, Brideshead Revisited and Death Comes to Pemberly. Now, visitors are able tour the house and grounds, host suppers and weddings, and indulge in a number of enjoyable events like outdoor cinemas, art exhibitions and seasonal Proms.
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You might also enjoy:
- British stately homes with gardens to visit right now
- Meet the custodian’s of Britain’s heritage properties
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Lacock Abbey
Lacock Abbey is particularly loved by Instagrammers and rightfully so, as it is Britain’s home of photography, once home to William Henry Fox Talbot, inventor of the photographic negative. A country home with monastic roots, the abbey is home to medieval biblical dictionaries, tiles and a Victorian clock and should also be another home recognisable to Harry Potter fans for its features in The Philosophers Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, The Half Blood Prince.
No booking required
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