Stately Homes in the North

Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor

Few things make for a more blessed family day out than a visit to a stately home. And stately homes are not just the preserve of the southern gentry. These hidden gems dot the North West’s countryside. Formerly the residences of great families, they have now been taken into the care of the National Trust or local charities and feature museums, art collections, gardens, and cafés. Great places to soak up history, they also make for a special weekend where you can let the kids off the leash to run around outside, and for adults to reconnect with nature in massive green spaces.

Explore our shortlist of the best stately homes in the North West

Whether it’s the Tudor charm of Bramall Hall you’re after, or the grandeur of an eighteenth-century palace like Harewood House, or haunted, craggy places like Muncaster, you’ll find our region is full of these places and they’re all within easy reach of main transport hubs and motorways. Many of them feature small zoos and aviaries, or put on special events like farmer’s markets and dressing up sessions.

You can also pair a visit to a stately home with a city break or walking holiday. Check out some of the Lake District establishments for stately homes easily incorporated into a hike. And whilst we’ve mentioned family trips, don’t overlook these places if you’re a couple looking for something to do on a romantic getaway or anniversary trip. You’ll feel like lords/ladies/others of the manor after a few hours promenading the hallways and formal gardens.

So, roll up the gravel drive, and explore our shortlist of the best stately homes in the North West.

Here are our picks

  • 1. Harewood House

    Harewood House
    By User:Gunnar Larsson [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY-SA 2.5 ], from Wikimedia Commons

    Harewood House, Sandy Gate, Harewood, Leeds, LS17 9LE - Visit now

    If you’re feeling regal, sample the afternoon tea on offer at Harewood House’s south-facing terrace. High-end sandwiches and cakes are the name of the game, in wonderful Georgian-era surroundings.

  • 2. Chatsworth House in Derbyshire

    Chatsworth House, Derbyshire

    Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, Chatsworth House, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1PP - Visit now

    Among the Peak District’s primary visitor destinations, Chatsworth House and its surrounding estate should not be missed by anyone with even the slightest interest in beautiful buildings and equally beautiful scenery.

  • 3. Speke Hall

    Speke Hall
    National Trust Images

    Speke Hall, The Walk, Liverpool, L24 1XD - Visit now

    Speke Hall Gardens and Estate is a National Trust property just outside Liverpool and a glorious place to visit for all ages.

  • 4. Haddon Hall

    Haddon Hall, Derbyshire
    © Haddon Hall

    Haddon Hall, Haddon Hall, Bakewell, DE45 1LA - Visit now

    With over 900 years of history, the uniquely preserved Medieval and Tudor house is among the oldest in England.

  • 5. Tatton Park

    Percy the Park Keeper - The Secret Path in the Gardens, Tatton Park

    Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 6QN - Visit now

    Tatton Park is a historical estate with a neo-classical mansion, 50 acres of landscaped gardens, 1000 acres of deer park, a rare breed farm and medieval Old Hall.

  • 6. Raby Castle

    Raby Castle
    Raby Castle

    Raby Castle, Raby Castle, Staindrop, DL2 3AH - Visit now

    A trip to Raby Castle involves a medieval fortress and early modern art, creating an unforgettable experience for all the family.

  • 7. Hutton-in-the-Forest

    Hutton-in-the-Forest, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 9TH - Visit now

    A few miles north of Penrith, Hutton-in-the-Forest is an exquisite country house, described by Simon Jenkins as “one of Britain’s top 100”.

  • 8. Dalemain

    DALEMAIN

    Dalemain, Dalemain,, Cumbria, Penrith, CA11 0HB - Visit now

    Visitors to Dalemain can enjoy four centuries of architecture, five acres of celebrated gardens and a Medieval Hall Tearoom.

  • 9. Levens Hall

    Levens Hall
    Levens Hall Kendal Cumbria

    Levens Hall, Levens Hall, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 0PD - Visit now

    A beautiful Elizabethan manor house, featuring the oldest surviving example of a topiary garden. The house and gardens are a joy to wander in, and the recently established Levens Kitchen provides delicious seasonal and local food.

  • 10. Gawthorpe Hall

    Gawthorpe Hall
    National Trust

    Gawthorpe Hall, Burnley Road, Padiham,, near Burnley,, Lancashire,, BB12 8UA - Visit now

    Affectionately referred to as the ‘Downton of the North’, Gawthorpe Hall was redesigned in the 1850s by Sir Charles Barry, designer of the Houses of Parliament and the ‘real’ Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle.

  • 11. Beningbrough Hall, Gallery and Gardens

    Beningbrough Hall, Gallery and Gardens
    National Trust Images / Chris Lacey

    Beningbrough Hall, Gallery and Gardens, Beningbrough, York, North Yorkshire, YO30 1DD - Visit now

    Beningbrough Hall is a well-loved museum whose interiors are full of stunning works of art and whose gardens are a joy for families to wander in.

  • 12. Rode Hall

    Rode Hall, Rode Hall, Scholar Green, Cheshire, ST7 3QT - Visit now

    An intriguing anomaly among stately homes, Rode Hall consists of not one but two Georgian manor houses.

  • 13. Bramall Hall

    Bramall Hall - Stockport Council

    Bramall Hall, Bramhall Park, Bramhall,, Stockport, Greater Manchester, SK7 3NX - Visit now

    With roots stretching back to the Middle Ages, Bramall Hall near Stockport is one of the best examples of a Tudor Manor House the UK has to offer.

  • 14. Muncaster Castle

    Image courtesy of Muncaster Castle

    Muncaster Castle, Muncaster Castle, Ravenglass, Cumbria, CA18 1RQ - Visit now

    The Muncaster Castle estate takes in a haunted castle, bluebell woods, Hawk and Owl Centre, playground, cafe, gift shop and more.

  • 15. Norton Conyers

    Norton Conyers
    Historic Houses, Norton Conyers

    Norton Conyers, Wath, near Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 5EQ - Visit now

    Norton Conyers, located just north of Ripon, Yorkshire, is world-famous as the inspiration for Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre.

  • 16. Eyam Hall

    Eyam Hall
    National Trust, The National Trust leaves Eyam Hall and Craft Centre

    Eyam Hall, Eyam Hall & Courtyard, Eyam, Hope Valley, S32 5QW - Visit now

    Derbyshire’s Eyam Hall is one of the few surviving examples of an unadulterated Jacobean grit-stone manor house. The striking building is set among a picturesque town which has grown up around it and beyond that lies picturesque countryside for fans of the outdoors.

  • 17. Adlington Hall & Gardens

    Adlington Hall & Gardens
    Adlington Hall, Adlington Hall

    Adlington Hall & Gardens, Mill Lane, Adlington, Macclesfield, SK10 4LF - Visit now

    Falling somewhat into disrepair in the twentieth century, the house has since been lovingly restored to its former glory and is now a popular attraction for its architectural and horticultural treasures.

  • 18. Towneley Hall

    Towneley Hall
    Visit Lancashire, Towneley Hall Art Gallery and Museum

    Towneley Hall, Towneley Park, Burnley, BB11 3RQ - Visit now

    Burnley’s Towneley Hall and Park is a treasure trove of architecture and art. And if you’re really lucky, you might spot the local boggart, a sinister paranormal entity supposed to appear once every seven years, prophesying the death of one of the hall’s occupants.

  • 19. Bywell Hall

    Bywell Hall
    Allendale Estates, Bywell Hall

    Bywell Hall, 2 Bearl Farm, Stocksfield, NE43 7AL - Visit now

    Bywell Hall is one of the jewels of the River Tyne. This classic 18th-century manor house boasts a fine portico, decorative windows, an orangery, and ornamental urns all set in rolling parkland.

  • 20. Holker Hall & Gardens

    Holker Hall & Gardens
    Cumbria's Living Heritage, Holker Hall & Gardens

    Holker Hall & Gardens, Cark-in-Cartmel, Nr Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, LA11 7PL - Visit now

    Holker Hall & Gardens has woodlands and a wonderful deer park. Events include a spring fair and summer theatre. There’s even a labyrinth for walking in the gardens.

  • 21. Leighton Hall

    Leighton Hall
    Visit Lancashire, Leighton Hall

    Leighton Hall, Carnforth, Lancashire, LA5 9ST - Visit now

    Leighton Hall is the family seat of the Gillow family – a classic Georgian manor house with a 19th century Gothicised facade.

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