Country houses and gardens near Oundle
We are fortunate to be surrounded by beautiful houses, historic estates and estate villages that have helped shape the character of this part of Northamptonshire. Places such as Wigsthorpe and Lilford show what can happen when a village and its surrounding land have been carefully held together by one family for generations.
Many of the following houses are still family homes, opened to the public to help with their upkeep. Part of their pleasure is being able to admire the ambition of the families who built them, enjoy the gardens, and then leave feeling uplifted by the beauty of it all, while quietly grateful that someone else has inherited the responsibility for their upkeep.
Lyveden New Bield
The one great exception is the unfinished Lyveden New Bield. Sometimes ambition has another side, and when you put your head above the parapet, it can get removed. In this case, the house was never finished, but it did leave behind a hauntingly beautiful relic that is definitely worth visiting.
Set within a quiet historic landscape, Lyveden is one of the most atmospheric places to visit near Oundle. It is close to Nene Valley Cottages and makes a peaceful day out for guests interested in history, architecture and gardens.
Grand houses close to the cottages
Elton Hall is only around ten miles away and is one of the nearest country houses to the cottages.
Burghley is one of the great houses in this part of England and is also home to the famous Burghley Horse Trials. With its scale, setting and history, it makes an impressive day out from Oundle.
Deene Park is another remarkable house. The diarist James Lees-Milne, who stayed in many of the great houses in the region, wrote that the house was enormous and that he had trouble finding his way about. Fortunately, today’s visitors can enjoy its scale without having to live with the complications of owning it.
Southwick, Rockingham and Nassington
Southwick Hall is another local house with historic interest. While there, it is worth visiting the nearby Church of St Mary the Virgin, with its memorable collection of tombstones.
Rockingham Castle is both a real castle and a family home. Its setting and history make it a thought-provoking visit, especially given the contrast between the castle itself and the adjacent Corby.
Prebendal Manor House, Nassington is the oldest surviving dwelling in Northamptonshire. The house dates from the early 13th century, with later lodgings and an 18th-century barn. Beneath the manor there is also evidence of Saxon buildings dating from around 850 to 950 AD, later developed by King Cnut into a timber hall and royal manor.
The garden at Prebendal Manor has been planted only with specimens known to have been cultivated in the 15th century, and there is also a good small museum to explore.
Historic houses and gardens further afield
Althorp, the seat of the Spencers, offers the chance to visit the house, gardens and memorial exhibition to Diana, Princess of Wales.
Cottesbrooke Hall is a Queen Anne house with magnificent gardens and a fine collection of sporting paintings.
Kelmarsh Hall is an 18th-century house with gardens to match, offering another elegant day out within reach of the cottages.
Gardens to visit
Coton Manor Gardens is often described as one of the finest gardens in the country. It is beautifully maintained, full of character and a rewarding visit for anyone interested in planting, design and atmosphere.
Barnsdale Gardens was created by Geoff Hamilton over several years for Gardeners’ World. After his death in 1996, the gardens were opened to the public and have become extremely popular. On busy weekends, it is best to book in advance. There is also a nursery attached, and a visit can be combined with a walk around nearby Rutland Water.
Holdenby House and Falconry was once a prison of Charles I and now offers gardens, history and a falconry centre to explore.
Wimpole Hall has something for all the family, including a model farm, rare breeds, attractions for children and a wonderful house.
Smaller houses and special places
The Manor at Hemingford Grey is a perfect English manor house. It is not grand in the same way as some of the larger estates, but it is around 900 years old and has beautiful gardens.
The big one is Boughton House, which is still very much lived in by the family when they are in Northamptonshire. Inspired by French architecture seen by an ancestor while ambassador to France, it is a very special house.
To get a sense of how wealthy and well connected some of these old families were, you could look at Boughton, Kimbolton and Hinchingbrooke together. The latter two are now schools, but they can still be admired from the outside. At one point in the 17th century, all three were owned by brothers.
Local gardens and Hall Farm
The National Garden Scheme is also worth checking, as there are often private gardens open to visitors in the local area.
Finally, at Hall Farm, we are slowly turning what was a caravan park when we arrived in 1994 into a manageable garden. Working from an original design by Bunny Guinness, with additions by Roger Balmer and further updates from Bunny, it remains a work in progress, it will always be a work in progress.
Having said that, no garden is ever finished. If you are interested, tell Michelle when you arrive and she can arrange a suitable time for one of us to show you around.