Category: national trust

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Didn’t get to Coughton Court

Coughton Court
Photo © Colin Park (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Coughton Court is an imposing Tudor house set in beautiful gardens with a collection of Catholic treasures.

Having read about how the management of Coughton Court was reverting to the Throckmorton family, I had it on my list of places to visit this year. Coughton Court was going to close for the winter (and for free entry for National Trust members) on the 2nd November. My original plan was to visit on the final weekend. However the weather on the Saturday was terrible. When I looked at the weather for Sunday it was much better. However when I got up on Sunday, I thought more about the trip. It would have meant a ninety minute journey up there (and the same back) along with some charging time (the car was low on charge). I also thought that there would be other people like me who would be visiting. Throw in that house entry is by timed ticket (not bookable) and the website said tickets are likely to run out earlier on busy days. I made the decision that I wouldn’t make the trip. I might go next year, but will have to pay for entry.

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Back to Greys Court

Greys Court

I have been to Greys Court before, visiting in May 2023.

Like on my previous visit, inside I was reminded me of my grandparents’ houses and flats. Part of the reason was the furniture in the house was more 1960s and 1970s than the 19th Century. 

There is always that compromise between preservation, conservation and restoration. Some National Trust properties try to restore the house to what it was like in the 19th century, other times as with Greys Court they preserve what it was like when it was passed to the National Trust.

Greys Court

An intimate family home and peaceful estate set in the rolling hills of the Chilterns. This picturesque 16th-century mansion and tranquil gardens were home to the Brunner family until recent years. The house exudes a welcoming atmosphere with a well-stocked kitchen and homely living rooms. The series of walled gardens is a colourful patchwork of interest set amid medieval ruins.

Current saving £254.40
One adult £18.00
Parking – Free
Total saving £18.00
Cumulative saving £363.60
Membership cost £91.20
Net cumulative saving £272.40

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Waddesdon Manor

Having seen photographs on line I knew I wanted to take advantage of my National Trust membership and make a visit to Waddesdon Manor in Oxfordshire. It is a bit of a hike from Weston-super-Mare to the house, but I arrived in plenty of time for my booked timed entry for the house.

There is a huge car park and I didn’t realise until I was about to leave that there is free EV charging as well. The house is about a 20-30 minute walk from the car park, however there is a shuttle bus for which there is a £2.50 charge (and National Trust members have to pay). Unlike most other National Trust properties, though  Waddesdon Manor is owned by the National Trust, it is managed by the Rothschild Foundation. So the experience is slightly different. Waddesdon Manor is also one of the most popular National Trust houses and gets lots of visitors.  I was there on a Sunday and though it was busy, I wouldn’t say it was excessively so, then again it was October.

Waddesdon Manor

French Renaissance-style château, built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild in 1874 to house his collection of fine art, landscaped gardens, aviary and woodland playground.

Current saving £229.90
One adult £27.00
Parking – Free
Shuttle Bus – £2.50
Total saving £24.50
Cumulative saving £345.60
Membership cost £91.20
Net cumulative saving £254.40

I took the bus up to the house and was rather impressed. This was very much a French Renaissance inspired château. It reminded me of some of the houses and château I had seen on my trips to France.

Even though I was about ten minutes early, I was able to gain entry to the house.

I really enjoyed walked around the house. This was a very decadent property where you could see money was no object. Everything from the marble walls to the gilded furniture, you could see money had been thrown at the house. Waddesdon Manor wasn’t a family home, it was a party house, a place to entertain and show off.

I really liked the staircases which were on each side of the house. 

There were also some interesting exhibitions on display as well.

I was a little disappointed with the catering facilities, well the Manor Restaurant actually looked really interesting with some tasty options, but it was only later that I realised you really needed to pre-book, and it certainly wasn’t cheap. Not a place you could just drop by for a slice of cake and a pot of tea. There was a coffee car, but there was a big queue. It was also later when I discovered there was another place, the Stables Café. Okay so I was not really disappointed with the catering outlets, I was disappointed with myself for not knowing or discovering them.

I enjoyed walking outside the house and enjoying the splendour of the building and the architecture.

After my visit, I walked down to the car park rather than take the shuttle bus. This was easier (as it was downhill) and it was a nice walk down.

I do think I would like to make a return visit some point in the future.

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Dunster Castle

Dunster Castle

I made a return visit to Dunster Castle, I had visited Dunster back in March, where I had done an uncovered tour. I have made quite a few visits to Dunster Castle over the years. As a member I don’t pay an entrance fee or the car parking charge

I arrived quite early in the day, so the car park wasn’t too busy and I walked up to the castle. I enjoyed walking around the rooms and afterwards headed to the cafe for a coffee. I then took a stroll through the gardens to the Water Mill.

Dunster Castle

An ancient castle and comfortable country home with dramatic vistas and subtropical gardens

Current saving £217.90
One adult £18.00
Parking £6.50
Total saving £24.50
Cumulative saving £321.10
Membership cost £91.20
Net cumulative saving £229.90

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Clevedon Court

Clevedon Court

After enjoying my National Trust membership in 2023, I decided I would rejoin the Trust for 2025. 

I have been to Clevedon Court a number of times over the years. It’s only open for six months of the year and only a few times a week. I made a visit there in April of this year.

Clevedon Court

Medieval manor house and 18th-century terraced garden with wide views of the Mendip Hills. Clevedon Court is an outstanding 14th-century manor house. Purchased by Abraham Elton in 1709, this remarkable survivor from the medieval period has been the ancestral home of the Elton family ever since.

Current saving £205.90
One adult £12.00
Parking – Free
Total saving £12.00
Cumulative saving £309.10
Membership cost £91.20
Net cumulative saving £217.90

One interesting aspect of the house was that the Victorian facade which was added in the 1880s was removed in the early 1950s by the National Trust. When the National Trust agreed to take on the house, the Victorian west wing (but not its Elizabethan south front) were demolished as were a plethora of minor 18th- and 19th-century buildings at the rear.

While much of the house is now open to the public, some parts remain private. This is because the Elton family still uses the house, and they continue to stay there.

The gardens are also a highlight and are well worth exploring.

This year I have planned to visit fifty places, however I have already visited Clevedon Court as part of that series of blog posts.

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Visiting Tyntesfield once more

Tyntesfield House

After enjoying my National Trust membership in 2023, I decided I would rejoin the Trust for 2025.

I visited Tyntesfield back in February so decided it was time to visit it again on a lovely sunny day in August.

As Tyntesfield is one of the closest National Trust properties to me (and is open nearly all year round) I have been a fair few times to this lovely house and gardens.

Tyntesfield

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

Current saving £180.90
One adult £20.00
Parking £5.00
Total saving £25.00
Cumulative saving £297.10
Membership cost £91.20
Net cumulative saving £205.90

Tyntesfield is a spectacular Gothic Revival mansion in Wraxall, North Somerset, built in the late 19th century for the wealthy Gibbs family. This architectural gem showcases a blend of Gothic Revival, Jacobean, and Victorian styles, all set within expansive, beautifully maintained grounds. Now a popular tourist spot owned by the National Trust, Tyntesfield invites visitors to step back in time, explore its stunning interiors and gardens, and uncover the rich history of the family who once lived there.

Having parked in the car park (free for National Trust members) I walked through the National Trust entrance and headed to the house though the grounds. I went the back way to the house, in the main so I could walk in the shade.

I had a great time exploring and walking around the house. The drawing room was closed for cleaning. All the carpets and rugs were up, and all the furniture had been taken out.

When the National Trust took over Tyntesfield, they faced a major challenge: an enormous collection of items. The agreement was that nothing could be added to or removed from the house. This was complicated by the fact that the Gibbs family were avid hoarders, keeping everything—even broken items that had been replaced.

I walked back to the car park through the gardens. I think if it had been cooler, I might have gone for a longer walk in the grounds.

This year I have planned to visit fifty places, however I have already visited Tyntesfield as part of that series of blog posts. I am planning to visit again at least once more at Christmas time, though I also want to go for a longer walk in the ground on  day which is not as hot as this one was.

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Newark Park #50places2025

After enjoying my National Trust membership in 2023, I decided I would rejoin the Trust for 2025. 

My last (proper) visit to a National Trust property was back in May. I did try and visit Westwood Manor in July, however, I couldn’t find any parking.

There have been lots of reasons for not visiting, in the main as I have been travelling going to University Open Days, throw in a holiday to France, various work trips, and let’s not forget the weather! I realised that if I was going to continue to take advantage of my membership I would need to make a bit of an effort. So with a nice day forecast I headed up to Gloucestershire to visit Newark Park.

I had visited the property before in May 2018 however when we went, the house was closed to visitors. We did have an enjoyable walk in the grounds, but it was a pity to miss the inside of the house.

This time not only was the house open, but there was also a basement tour which I managed the snaffle the final ticket for.

The house started off as a Tudor hunting lodge, before being converted into a Georgian mansion. It fell into disrepair before being leased to a Texan who brought the house back from potential ruin.

Newark Park

A secluded estate with glorious views, providing country house hospitality, garden strolls and woodland walks

Current saving £163.90
One adult £14.00
Parking £3.00
Total saving £17.00
Cumulative saving £272.10
Membership cost £91.20
Net cumulative saving £180.90

It’s a lovely house with some nice walks around the estate. There are some incredible views as well.

I really enjoyed my time at Newark Park and I am planning to ensure that there isn’t such a huge gap between this visit and my next visit to a National Trust property.

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Westwood Manor – didn’t quite go to plan

After enjoying my National Trust membership in 2023, I decided I would rejoin the Trust for 2025.

Some things just don’t go to plan. Having spent a lot of weekends attending university open days and going on holiday, despite travelling a lot I’ve not had the chance or the time to visit any National Trust properties.

So, having dropped of my daughter at a camp site in Wiltshire and having some time, I wanted to visit a National Trust property in the area, and chose Westwood Manor.

However, upon arrival, it was obvious that I was not the only one to make that choice, and the car park (and the overflow car park) were both full and lots of cars were parked on the side of the quite narrow road.

So after waiting a while I headed home. I will attempt to visit again sometime this year.

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Killerton #50places2025

After enjoying my National Trust membership in 2023, I decided I would rejoin the Trust for 2025. 

Killerton

A family home and a great estate. Glorious landscape garden surrounded by parkland with fine 18th-century house.

Current saving £142.10
One adult £17.00
Parking £4.80
Total saving £21.80
Cumulative saving £255.10
Membership cost £91.20
Net cumulative saving £163.90

I visited Killerton back in June 2023. Having just visited Knighthayes down the road, it was a short drive to Killerton for a return visit. 

I was pleased to see they had EV chargers in the car park, so I put the Funky Cat on charge.

They had dressed the house as a 1920s summer party with music and “dancing”. It was a lovely house and lots of rooms to explore. The first floor is more of a museum to a collection of dresses and clothes that were left to the National Trust.

The grounds and gardens are really nice as well.

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Knightshayes Court #50places2025

After enjoying my National Trust membership in 2023, I decided I would rejoin the Trust for 2025.

Knightshayes Court

A great post-war garden,19th-century parkland and grand Gothic Revival architecture by Victorian visionary William Burges.

Current saving £120.30
One adult £17.00
Parking £4.80
Total saving £21.80
Cumulative saving £233.30
Membership cost £91.20
Net cumulative saving £142.10

I visited Knightshayes Court back in January 2023 and enjoyed the visit. We rushed the house back then, so on my return visit in May I took a lot more time exploring the house. This was very much a gothic mansion and some really interesting painted ceilings.

There are some beautiful gardens and grounds to explore as well.