Castles & Stately Homes to Visit in Cambridgeshire
When you visit the historic city of Cambridge, you can also look further into the county Cambridgeshire. Where you can visit some of England’s best stately homes and gardens.
The stately homes in Cambridgeshire range from one of the most popular historic house film locations of England. To one of the oldest continiously inhabited houses in England (and you might know it from a children’s book).
Whether you’re looking for history, beautiful gardens or a stately home you can visit with your children. In Cambridgeshire you will find what you’re looking for.
Anglesey Abbey
Anglesey Abbey is a Jacobean country house built on the remains of a priory. The property includes the country house, gardens and a working watermill. And since it’s located only 5,5 miles from Cambridge it’s a perfect countryside trip.
The last private owner of Anglesey Abbey was Lord Fairhaven, who lived here between 1926 and 1966. He extended the house to accomondate his large collection of art, books, furniture, and objets d’art. His eclectic collection (which ranges from the Tudor period to the 20th century) can be seen when you visit the house.
Lord Fairhaven also designed the grounds, in the style of an 18th century park. The grounds include many vistas, avenues, rare trees, and gardens.
Is Anglesey Abbey open to the public?
Yes! The house, garden, and mill are open to the public. The estate also houses a shop, restaurant, bookshop and children’s play area.
Address: Quy Rd, Lode, Cambridge CB25 9EJ
Burghley House
Film location for: Pride & Prejudice, Elizabeth I: The Golden Age, The Da Vinci Code, and The Crown.
Burghley House is an Elizabethan “prodigy” house (a prodiye house is a large & showy English country house, often built by courtiers and nobel families). And it is one of the oldest and grandest surviving Elizabethan houses in England.
The House is built by William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer of Queen Elizabeth I, who later became 1st Baron Burghley. The built started in 1555 and lasted 32 years.
The interiors of Burghley House are in Baroque style. The house contains a large art collection, mainly collected in Italy by the 5th and 9th Earl in the 17th and 18th century.
in the 18th century, the 9th Earl employed famous English landscape architect Lancelot “Capability” Brown to modernize the gardens, the surrounding parkland and parts of the house. The north-west wing was destroyed (making Burghley lose its “E-shape”) to have a better view of the surrounding parkland. An Orangery and Gothic garden Summerhouse were added to the grounds.
Is Burghley House open to the public?
Burghley House is open March-October. The house is open Wednesday-Sunday and the gardens are open daily.
Address: Peterborough, Stamford PE9 3JY
Chippenham Park
The current Chippenham Park is a Queen Anne Revival-style manor house rebuilt in the 1880s. However, before this house was built there had been many homes on the estate. Such as an abbey, a grand country villa, a modest hunting lodge and it was nearly rebuilt as a grand neo-classical house by James Wyatt in the 1790s.
Sincw 1791 the estate has been passed down by the present owner’s family. And today it is still used as a private house. Surrounding the house is an award-winning parkland and garden. They were designed in the 1690s by Admiral Russell with the permission of King William III. He planted large avenues in the Park to illustrate the battle formations of La Hogue, his famous naval victory over the French.
Is Chippenham Park open to the public?
The gardens are open to visitors on selected days (including Snowdrop and Daffodils + Spring season). Private tours can be arranged to groups as well.
Chippenham Park is aslo a wedding venue.
Address: Chippenham Hall, Chippenham Park, Newmarket CB7 5PT,
Elton Hall
Elton Hall is a romantic, part Gothic stately home in Cambridgeshire built in the 15th century. The manor house has been owned by the Proby family since 1660. Over the centuries the house and its interiors have been embellished by the Porby family. And it now contains a substantial art collection (including Old Master and English portraiture).
Surrounding the house are gardens which have been restored in recent years. They include a rose garden, a herb garden and a knot garden.
There are many things to see during a visit to Elton Hall. From the art collection to Henry VIII’s prayer book (given to him by Katherine Parr) and the family’s State Coach.
Is Elton Hall open to the public?
Yes! The Hall and Garden are open to visitors from May-August on selected days. Elton Hall can also be rented as a wedding venue.
Address: Elton Hall, Elton PE8 6SH
The Manor/Green Knowe
The Manor/Green Knowe was built in the 1130s and is one of the oldest continiously inhabited houses in England. Some even say it is the oldest. Though the exterior of Green Knowe is Georgian, when you step inside you can see the 900 year old history of the house.
English novelist Lucy M. Boston bought The Manor in Hemingford Grey in 1939. She quickly renamed the house Green Knowe which is also the name of her most popular children book series (the setting of these books is inspired by Lucy’s own home).
The garden is filled with old cottage garden plants, which are not commonly seen.
Is The Manor/Green Knowe open to the public?
The house and garden are open to visitors daily. The house is only open by appointment.
Address: Hemingford Grey, Huntingdon, PE28 9BN
Peckover House and Garden
The Georgian manor house in Wisbech was owned by the Quaker banking family The Peckover’s. After the death of Alexandrina Peckover the house was handed over to the National Trust.
Peckover House has elegant interiors with fine panelled rooms, Georgian fireplaces, and ornate plaster decorations. At the back of the house is a Victorian walled garden with rare trees, summer houses, a croquet lawn, and roses.
You can aslo stay at the estate. The former Coach House has been transformed into a holiday rental.
Is Peckover House open to the public?
The house and garden are open for visitors from March-October; Thursday-Monday
Address: N Brink, Wisbech PE13 1JR
Wimpole Estate
Wimpole is the largest house in Cambridgeshire. The built began in 1640 but the house has been extended and remodelled several times over the centuries. Several nobel families have owned the house including the Earl of Oxford, the Earl of Hardwicke, and many more.
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited Wimpole House in 1843. In 1938 Capt. George Bambridge and Elsie, the daughter of Rudyard Kipling, bought the house. The inheritance left by Rudyard Kipling paid for the much needed refurbishment of the house and grounds.
The gardens surrounding the house have been laid out by several landscape designers such as Henry Wise and Capability Brown. Wimpole is still a working estate.
Is Wimpole open to the public?
The garden and park are open daily. The house is open April-October. The estate also houses a farm café, restaurant, and shop.
Address: Wimpole Estate, Arrington, Royston SG8 0BW
