Top Three Stately Homes in Warwickshire to Visit This Spring

If you’re looking for an escape from everyday life, then a visit to one of Warwickshire’s stately homes has to be at the top of your list.

History is alive and well here in Warwickshire; a county that today boasts seven stately homes all bursting with a rich heritage and a story of their own.

With the Easter Holidays around the corner (25 March – 5 April) and Spring on its way, there’s perhaps no better time to take a visit and see them in all their springtime glory. Explore the manicured grounds, wander the halls and get a glimpse of what life was like back then.

Here’s a list of our top three stately homes for you to visit this season.

Upton House and Gardens, Banbury

Just a 30-minute drive from our Southcrest Rise, neighbourhood in Upton House, is the beautiful Southcrest Rise. Once the former home of philanthropist and collector, Walter Samuel, and later remodelled in the 1930s as a glamorous weekend retreat, this house is home to modern comforts, expansive gardens and an impressive collection of art including paintings and porcelain.

Each of the paintings on display, according to Samuel, are related to human beings and their relationship with the landscape around them – many of which reflect the picturesque surroundings at Upton from centuries ago.

Stop for a spot of light lunch at the Pavilion Cafe; and get ready to admire the view over the Upton Estate as you head outdoors.

In April, it’s officially ‘Blossom Season’ at Upton, so why not take advantage of the stunning, seasonal backdrop and make some memories that will last a lifetime? Either on your phone, camera or, perhaps for those budding artists out there, a sketchbook. It’s a popular spot for local artists, many of whom gather in the grounds this time of year to enjoy the blossom trees, wild garden and kitchen garden. One of the finest stop off points at Upton is its historic Mirror Pool; an iconic site in the grounds since its installation in the 1920s. The pool, developed from a natural spring and glistening for all to see since its recent refurbishment, now has an abundance of beautiful surrounding plant life, including water lilies and reeds; the perfect backdrop for a peaceful picnic with the family.

If you’re planning a trip while the kids are off school, then the Easter Egg Hunt (1 – 16 April, 10am – 4pm), along the enchanted Woodland Walk, is the ideal time to visit.

Baddesley Clinton, Solihull

Just a 25-minute drive from our Trinity Fields neighbourhood in Stratford-upon-Avon, is the 500-year old house at Baddesley Clinton.

Well-known for its working moat and brick paths that have little changed since its creation in 1889, Baddesley Clinton is a fine example of a historic home that has stood the test of time. Once owned by the Ferrers, a noble Anglo-Norman family that crossed to England with the Norman Conquest, visitors will notice a number of nods to its historic coat of arms in the home’s perfectly-preserved stained glass windows. Visitors to the house will instantly feel the charm of this small, yet grand house, as they enter through the scullery in the courtyard. As well as architectural features like the 500-year-old priest hide, an Elizabethan fireplace and the 19th century artist studio, visitors should look out for the blood-stained floorboard in the library – said to have derived from the body of a murdered priest, killed by former proprietor and nobleman, Nicholas Brome, after a dispute.

As well as a barnyard café and second-hand bookshop, the site offers visitors the chance to ramble along the Baddesley Clinton canal walk; a feature commonly found across Warwickshire, denoting its industrial history. This gentle, circular walk along country lanes, field paths and the Grand Union Canal, is perfect for families looking for a gentle stroll. See how many canal boats you can spot along the way, too.

Coughton Court, Alcester

Just a 15-minute drive from our Trinity Fields development is Coughton Court; a site that has been home to the Throckmorton family for over six centuries – even today, the family still resides in the premises.

As one of very few grand homes in the National Trust portfolio still ‘working’ and operated by the same family, it is a marvel to behold and retains many of its original 16th Century features. Must-visits during your time at Coughton Court are the infamous Tower Room - now a dining hall, with a grand wooden table and fireplace – the portraits along the staircase, which act as a family tree, and the oldest surviving part of the court, The Blue Drawing Room. The house’s beloved walled garden is set to open from April, where visitors can enjoy one of the most ingenious features in any early stately home garden, the Coughton ‘Garden Rooms’ – a garden segmented into separate spaces, with each offering a different theme or colour palette. Green fingered visitors will also love the spectacular and award-winning rose labyrinth, which currently boasts over 200 varieties of rose.

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