Category: national trust

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Tyntesfield in the sun

Though Tyntesfield is one of the closest National Trust properties to me (Clevedon Court is closer) I realised I hadn’t actually visited them this year. I had been to see their festive decorations in December, but that was last year!

It was a beautiful sunny day and I headed off in the afternoon for a visit. 

Tyntesfield

An ornate Victorian Gothic Revival house with extensive garden and parkland, just a stone’s throw from Bristol

Current saving £371.75
One adult £21.00
Parking £5.00
Total saving £26.00
Cumulative saving £493.75
Membership cost £96
Net cumulative saving £397.75

I arrived to find that the car park was literally full. I did find a space though. I really shouldn’t be too surprised, it was a weekend in August, the weather was lovely as well.

Sorted out the (free) parking and headed to reception to get my card scanned. I took the longer walk to the house. They were short on volunteers but enjoyed exploring the house even so.

The Drawing Room was closed, but I couldn’t find out why. The Billard Room was also closed, but this because they were fixing the windows, they had left the door open.

After exploring the house, I walked down to the kitchen garden. I did consider getting a cold drink, but there was a very long queue at the pavilion café. 

After exploring the garden, I took the alternative path back to the house.

I then walked back to the stables. I noticed that they have changed the layout of the café and service area. 

I didn’t buy a tea towel from the shop. I have too many National Trust tea towels. 

I then headed back to my car and home.

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Tredegar House

I first visited Tredegar House back in August 2016. Our visit was cut short because of some bees. I made a return visit there last year in March.

Having parked, sorted the parking ticket out, a National Trust member, parking is free, I headed to reception to get my ticket scanned.

I explored the house, which had some grand rooms downstairs and then up to see the bedrooms in the house.

I also enjoyed the gardens.

Tredegar House

Tredegar House is one of the architectural wonders of Wales and one of the most significant late 17th-century houses in the whole of the British Isles. Situated within 90 acres of beautiful gardens and parkland, this delightful red brick house provides an ideal setting for a fantastic day out. For more than 500 years the house was home to one of the greatest Welsh families, the Morgans, later Lords Tredegar. The Morgan family owned more than 40,000 acres in Monmouthshire, Breconshire and Glamorgan at the end of the 18th century. Their lives impacted on the population of south-east Wales socially, economically and politically and influenced the heritage of the area.

Current saving £351.75
One adult £14.00
Parking £6.00
Total saving £20.00
Cumulative saving £467.75
Membership cost £96
Net cumulative saving £371.75

This visit means my saving £371.75 has exceeded the figure for 2025 which was £365.40, and I still have nearly five months left on my membership. The saving I made in 2023 was £283.35.

This visit does not add to my #50places2026 list, as an extra twist I decided I couldn’t use any of the fifty places I visited in 2025 to add to my the list

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Barna Barrow #50places2026

I was on my way back from Arlington Court I was driving along the A39 coastal road to Bridgwater via Minehead and it looked magnificent. I decided I would stop and have enjoy the views on foot. As I left Lynmouth at the top of the hill was a National Trust car park, well that’s handy.

Barna Barrow is the name of the National Trust car park, but from there you can access the coastal paths along the North Devon coast.

I went for a walk along the paths with amazing views of the sea and Wales in the distance.

Current saving £333.75
One adult n/a
Parking n/a
Total saving £0
Cumulative saving £429.75
Membership cost £96
Net cumulative saving £333.75

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Arlington Court #50places2026

Looking over the National Trust website, I was planning where I should go in the future. Arlington Court was on my list, but even though it is about eighty miles away is a two hour drive.  Whilst planning I also saw that Arlington Court had EV chargers, which made planning the trip so much easier.

Though I enjoy visiting National Trust properties, I did have another reason for visiting Arlington Court. Checking the Arlington Court page on the National Trust website they talked about a painting of two of the Chichester family who lived there, which was painted in 1849. Reading the description I realised that Caroline Chichester was my great great great aunt, she had been married to my great great great uncle.

Went to reception and got my card scanned. I then headed to the house. Upon my arrival at the house I was given a warm welcome and I asked about the painting.

I was taken to the room with the painting, though mentioned on the webs page, I was expecting a small painting, it was much bigger, 100 x 84 inches. It’s a fascinating painting which dominates the room it is in.

Had some lovely conversations with various volunteers and staff about my uncle and his connection to the house. After chatting for a while I went to explore the rest of the house. It is a lovely house and hasn’t been changed much since it (and the contents) was given to the National Trust in 1945.

Arlington Court

Intriguing Regency house and impressive collection of horse-drawn vehicles, set in a picturesque garden.

Current saving £310.55
One adult £18
Parking £5.20
Total saving £23.20
Cumulative saving £429.75
Membership cost £96
Net cumulative saving £333.75

After exploring the house, I headed to the Kitchen Cafe for some refreshment. It was a beautiful hot day, so I had a single espresso, iced water and a cheese scone. It was a nice scone, but I have had lots of cheese scones at various National Trust properties over the years. As I said it was a nice scone, but it wasn’t one of the best I’ve had, it was a little dry compared to others I’ve had. Not sure if that was the scone or possible the weather.

After finishing my refreshments, I headed to the Carriages Museum. This was quite fascinating, showcasing a range of different carriages that were used in houses like Arlington Court.

Headed back to the shop, bought a tea towel as one does.

I drove to Arlington Court going down the M5 and then taking the A361 Barnstaple Road. This is longer from a distance perspective, but is quicker. Coming home though, I took the shorter distance route, on the A39, which though takes longer, is a lot more scenic, and I had planned a couple of stops on the way as well.

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Shute Barton #50places2026

Shute Barton was on my list of places to visit. However the house is only open to members of the public eight times a year for pre-booked guided tours. You aren’t able to book tickets until 2 weeks before these dates. I missed the June dates as I was working, but I was able to book a ticket for July.

It’s not too far from Weston, but half of the journey is on slower country roads. I arrived and parked the car, it was quite busy the car parking. Made my way to the house and a volunteer checked my booking. 

Shute Barton

A 14th century Medieval manor house with Tudor additions, with royal connections. A building of battlements and towers set in the rolling east Devon countryside,

Current saving £305.30
One adult £5.25
Parking n/a
Total saving £5.25
Cumulative saving £406.55
Membership cost £96
Net cumulative saving £310.55

The tour was excellent, we learnt about the house, it’s history and the different owners and occupants. There are links to other properties in the area as well. The property is usually used as a holiday letting, hence the reason for the restricted opening times.

The final chapter was to enjoy the garden.

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Great Chalfield Manor and Garden #50places2026

After an enjoyable visit to Westwood Manor, it was a relatively short drive to the other property I wanted to visit which was Great Chalfield Manor in Wiltshire.

I arrived just before 3pm and parked on the verge as per the instructions on the website. I booked a house tour, which was at 4pm. 

I thought no worries, they have a refreshment place, I’ll get a tea. However, their refreshments were in a barn, it was cash only and make it yourself. I did have some water. I then headed out for a walk in the grounds and around the moat. At 4pm I headed to the front door for the tour. 

Great Chalfield Manor and Garden

This beautiful medieval manor sits in peaceful countryside. Cross the upper moat, passing barns, gatehouse and delightful parish church to enjoy fine oriel windows and the soldiers, griffins and monkey adorning the rooftops. Romantic gardens offer terraces, topiary houses, gazebo, lily pond, roses and views across the spring-fed fishpond.

Current saving £290.30
One adult £15
Parking n/a
Total saving £15
Cumulative saving £401.30
Membership cost £96
Net cumulative saving £305.30

We weren’t allowed to take photographs indoors, as it is still used by the family and there were personal items on display. I quite like this kind of house, more of a home, than a museum. Though I do feel sometimes like I am intruding into a personal space.

I saw some lovely rooms. Many of the spaces have been used for filming, notable the BBC’s Wolf Hall.

After enjoying the grounds and the house, I headed back to the car for the journey home. 

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Westwood Manor #50places2026

Last July I planned to visit Westwood Manor, however when I arrived the car park was full and there was lots of cars parked on the verges. So, after waiting a while I headed home. I planned to attempt to visit again later in the year, but I didn’t manage it.

This time I planned to arrive just before it opened at 2pm. I arrived with ten minutes to spare; I explored the surrounding environs of the village. At 2pm I headed to the house.

Westwood Manor

This beautiful small manor house, built over three centuries, has late Gothic and Jacobean windows, decorative plasterwork and two important keyboard instruments. There is some fine period furniture, seventeenth and eighteenth century tapestries and a modern topiary garden. 

Current saving £277.30
One adult £13
Parking n/a
Total saving £13
Cumulative saving £386.30
Membership cost £96
Net cumulative saving £290.30

After an introduction I was able to explore the house. Found it somewhat amusing that some visitors had not understood some instructions and went to explore some closed parts of the house beyond the dining room, which are used by the tenant.

It’s not a huge house and much is closed off to visitors. I was impressed with the plasterwork which was over four hundred years old. The rooms are lovely and there is lots other see in each of the rooms.

After enjoying myself exploring the house I headed into the garden.

I did think about getting a cup of tea and a slice of cake (from the village hall), but in the end headed off to see Great Chalfield Manor and Garden which is just a few miles away.

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Baddesley Clinton Hall #50places2026

I had been to Baddesley Clinton Hall before back in January 2023. I had planned to visit it again in 2023, but never did, nor did I visit last year, though I visited some other places close by.

So, after visiting Packwood House, it was an easy choice to make to head to Baddesley Clinton Hall which was just over two miles away. I drove up to the car park, parked and headed to reception. This is a lovely house surrounded by a moat.

There is a real sense of history as you walk through the house, starting with the medieval origins, walking through the Tudor rooms before seeing how the house was used in the 20th-century before being handed over to the National Trust. 

Baddesley Clinton Hall

Moated manor house with late medieval, Tudor and 20th-century histories. Home to the Ferrers family for 500 years.

Current saving £259.30
One adult £18
Parking n/a
Total saving £18
Cumulative saving £373.30
Membership cost £96
Net cumulative saving £277.30

Unlike my visit in January 2023, this time I did take the opportunity to walk around the lake and the gardens.

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Packwood House #50places2026

I had Packwood House on my list of National Trust properties to visit for a while now.

I drove off to Packwood House, up in Warwickshire. Though the app didn’t say the property had EV chargers, the website did. I arrived with 12% charge left and there were EV chargers, and I plugged in the Funky Cat.

I headed to reception, got my membership card scanned, and got a timed ticket for the house. I headed to the house.

This was a wonderful house, I really enjoyed exploring all the different rooms. Though not authentically Tudor, the early 20th century restoration, which is being conserved, is delightful. The upper floors are lovely. I really enjoyed the long gallery and the great hall at the end was unexpected.

Packwood House

The culmination of a lifetime of dreams: salvaged objects and exotic pieces come together in a Jacobean meets Edwardian style. Beautiful, homely, warm and welcoming. The house was originally built in the 16th century, yet its interiors were extensively restored between the First and Second World Wars by Graham Baron Ash to create a fascinating 20th-century evocation of domestic Tudor architecture. Packwood House contains a fine collection of 16th-century textiles and furniture, and the gardens have renowned herbaceous borders and a famous collection of yews.

Current saving £241.30
One adult £18
Parking n/a
Total saving £18
Cumulative saving £355.30
Membership cost £96
Net cumulative saving £259.30

After exploring the house, I headed back to the café and had the ploughman’s lunch, which was significantly better than the one I had at Stourhead. I got bread this time.

After eating my lunch and drinking my green tea, I headed back to the house, well the gardens. I enjoyed walking around the collection of Yews, and the spiral terrace at the end of the garden was an intriguing surprise.

I had a lovely time at the house and would go again in the future.

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Priest’s House, Muchelney #50places2026

Priest's House, Muchelney

There are some properties where you can spend the whole day exploring the house, the gardens and the grounds. However the National Trust is not just about big houses and mansions, they also have large areas of countryside and coastal areas. One aspect of their portfolio are smaller houses of interest. So, I had a plan I would three such properties in one day. The first of which was Coleridge Cottage, the second was the Treasurer’s House in Martock, the third and final house was the Priest’s House in Muchelney.

It’s only a short drive from Martock to Muchelney, I realised that I was double backing on myself, but it was in the right direction going home. 

As with the Treasurer’s House, this National Trust property is on a tenancy, which means that for someone, it is their home. They open the house to National Trust for two afternoons a week over the summer.

Priest’s House

Late medieval hall-house in a picturesque village. This medieval hall-house was built in 1308 for the parish priest of the church opposite, and has been little altered since the early 17th century. Interesting features include the Gothic doorway, magnificent double-height tracery windows and a massive 15th-century stone fireplace.

Current saving £236.30
One adult £5
Parking n/a
Total saving £5
Cumulative saving £337.30
Membership cost £96
Net cumulative saving £241.30

The owner does short tours of the house, so I rang the doorbell and waited for a short while before being let in for the tour.

This is a lovely thatched cottage, with some lovely medieval features. The massive 15th-century stone fireplace was huge and made from one piece of stone. Makes you wonder how they managed to not only get that into the property, but also how they got it to the village as well.

The tour is quite short, just three rooms, but the owner gave a really lovely guide to the house, its history and many of the features.