Historic Houses of Dorset

Activity Level:

Summary

The county of Dorset is a rich repository of historic houses, with many properties recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. Each one has a multitude of stories to tell, some having changed hands many times, others having been home to the same family for centuries. Exquisite furnishings, fine art and a range of architectural styles will be discovered as we tour the tour houses.

Our guide to Minterne House will be none other than the owner Lord Digby himself, who will give us a personal insight into the 1000 year history of the influential families who have lived here, including connections to the Duke of Marlborough and the Churchill dynasty. Lord Digby will also be our guide to the gardens, and our visit is timed to see Minterne’s magnificent collection of Himalayan shrubs at their best.

At Kingston Lacy we will see grand, beautifully detailed carvings, intimate family souvenirs and a fine collection of paintings including works by Rubens, Van Dyck, Titian and Brueghel. Mapperton has been described as “The nation’s finest manor house” and is now the home of the Earl and Countess of Sandwich, while over at Forde Abbey Forde Abbey, home to the stunning Mortlake tapestries, we will discover a rich and varied history spanning 900 years.

We spend a day in the vicinity of Dorchester, forever associated with the novelist Thomas Hardy, whose birthplace and house at Max Gate we will visit, along with Athelhampton, which dates back to the Tudor age.

Please note: several of the properties included in this tour are owned by the National Trust and as many of our guests are NT/NTS members, we have not included admission costs for these properties. There is therefore a supplement of £40.00 for non-members.