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Blackwell
Blackwell is one of England's most important surviving houses from the turn of the 20th century. Designed by M. H. Baillie Scott between 1897 and 1900, it is a superb example of Arts and Crafts movement architecture.It occupies a stunning position overlooking Windermere in the English Lake District and has recently been restored and opened to the public as a gallery for craft and applied arts.
Situated between the Lakeland hills and Morecambe Bay, Holker Hall and Gardens combine the beauty of nature with the richness of heritage. Highly acclaimed and offering a richness and variety peculiar to the special micro-climate, they cover 24 acres of woodland and formal gardens and contain truly unique features.
Hutton-in-the-Forest is a beautiful historic house on the north eastern edge of the Lake District. It is surrounded by the magnificent woodland of the medieval forest of Inglewood and is the legendary Green Knight's Castle in the Arthurian tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Since it was first built in 1246, Leighton Hall has been welcoming guests from near and far. The home of the world renowned Gillow furniture making family, Leighton Hall is set in 80 acres of breathtakingly beautiful grounds and parkland. The house and gardens are steeped in history.
The first dwelling at Levens was a medieval pele tower, built by the de Redman family of Yealand Redmayne. The Bellingham family, who were wealthy landowners, chose Levens as their main residence in the 1590s and incorporated the fortified tower into a gentleman's residence. They employed local craftsmen to carve the oak panelling, incorporated elaborate Italian plasterwork, including Elizabeth the First's coat of arms and stained glass - all of which can be seen today.
The home of the Legh family for 600 years and originally a Tudor house, Lyme was transformed by the Venetian architect Leoni into an Italianate palace and one of the biggest houses in Cheshire. Some of the Elizabethan interiors survive and contrast dramatically with later rooms. The state rooms are adorned with Mortlake tapestries, Grinling Gibbons wood-carvings and an important collection of English clocks. Outside, the Victorian garden contains Lewis Wyatt's great conservatory and is surrounded by a medieval deer park, complete with hunting tower.
The Earl of Derby built the present house in 1666. It has only been sold once, when he parted with it in 1688 to Roger Gregg. Since then it has passed by inheritance. It has been altered by succeeding generations for their own convenience. Besides an interesting collection of furniture and portraits there is a very unusual display of manuscripts. These include James Spedding's collection of Francis Bacon's works as well as letters from Wordsworth, Tennyson, Southey, Thomas Carlyle and John Constable: all friends of the family.
