Planning Days Out with the In-Laws and Kids - Historic Houses and Castles Recommendations?

[Dottyabout]

Hi everyone,
We're heading down to visit my parents-in-law with our young family, and we're looking to plan a few days out to some historic houses and castles that everyone will enjoy. Ideally, we'd love to find places with something for everyone. Any recommendations? Thanks in advance!

I think you’ll need to be a bit more specific on your location than ‘down’!

Sorry! By down I meant to add the East Midlands area, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland and Leicestershire areas!

That's not down - that's up 😂😂

But sorry, no ideas.

How old are your children?

10,8 and 5

Belton house near Grantham, Kenilworth castle

Ashby Castle in Ashby de la Zouch is great for families. It’s English Heritage so kids get in free if you’re a member.

The National Space Centre in Leicester might work (depending on interests)

Belton, great play area and interesting house.
Also the workhouse at Southwell

Warwick Castle is great for kids.

Also newtons house (NT) has science museum attached and if in season you can buy apples from the tree

Hi everyone! I recently came across HeritageXplore which I came across in an article - they have tons of historic houses in the Midlands especially - I booked loads of tickets through HeritageXplore at once (super easy process) and Kids are loving all the houses/adventure playgrounds, especially Grimsthorpe. Just thought I'd share!

Are you a member of National Trust, English Heritage or Historic Houses?

If so tell us which so we can recommend things that you can use your membership for. If not it might be worth considering joining one as a few visits can recoup your membership and you can use it for the rest of the year.

Belton, Sudbury and Calke are great for kids, but it is a brilliant area for National Trust properties generally. You can also used your membership to park in the Peak District.

Belvoir castle is quite popular as well.
belton has a great adventure playground.
clumber is quite nice, no house but a nice lake to walk round, loads of woodland, kitchen gardens, great for longer walks or cycling.

I'm not a member of any of these. I have just looked at HeritageXplore that Laurenwedder suggested above, seems to be like the airbnb of independent historic houses and I can see really easily how I can multiple book so I might use this!

Is Chatsworth too far?

https://www.artfund.org/explore/search?near=52.74012279999999,-1.1405925&place=Leicestershire,%20UK&sort=location&radius=50

This is an Art Fund search in Leicestershire - gives 202 results - but you can filter further or centre it on specific towns.

EG great for families filter gives:
https://www.artfund.org/explore/museums-and-galleries/abbey-pumping-station

//www.artfund.org/explore/events/2024/07/30/summer-family-activities-cattywampus-668535ecf320c

maybe a little!

It might be worth joining.

The national trust costs £159 a year or £13.25 if you prefer monthly DD for a family with two adults and entrance to their properties is free and you can park for free in all of their car parks.

Belton as an example is £45 for a family ticket. So you quickly start to save, four trips over a year and you would have saved by joining.

English Heritage and Historic Houses work in the same way but they apply to different places. Generally 3-4 visits and they have paid their way.

Burghley house and Stamford, IWM Duxford, Audley End house and gardens. Is Blenheim too far south?

@WorriedRelative Yes! HH is great! The only thing I would say tho is it's not as good on houses which are privately owned, which I find have great activities etc such as adventure playgrounds. Also ever so often I find myself feel a bit guilty about memberships as those kind of houses are struggling apparently and they lose money on them. I do agree though that memberships are great, especially in summer!

Thank you! I had a look at these this afternoon. Really interesting and I can see the saving argument. I don't find the user experience that friendly, certainly on HH for finding the house's and their opening times/events that are happening at them but really helpful thank you @WorriedRelative

You need to turn right, Shropshire and North Wales are fantastic for this and many other things
https://www.donthibernate.co.uk/24-castles-of-north-wales/