The Most Beautiful Houses in the UK
In this article, we’ll be listing five of the most beautiful houses in the UK. From stately homes to castles, these properties have withstood the test of time and are still standing today—highlighted by their history, architecture and design.
Wentworth Woodhouse
Wentworth Woodhouse is a stately home in the village of Wentworth, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire in England. It is a Grade I listed building, owned by the National Trust and open to visitors.
The house was built by Sir Thomas Wentworth between 1611 and 1619 as his main residence on a site previously occupied by an older house known as New Hall or Wentworth Castle. It has been suggested that the new house’s construction was prompted by his father’s death in 1608 which left him with debts of £30000 (equivalent to £2 billion today). It was completed when he was aged 38 years old but remained unfinished for some time due to his financial situation.
Castle Howard
This stately home in North Yorkshire, England, is the seat of the Howard family and has been so since 1699. It was built by James Bryce (1676-1732) on land owned by his wife Grace Gethin. The house was completed in 1730 and remained in the family until 1812 when it was sold to Thomas Wombwell who demolished Castle Howard village to make way for a new country house (Baron Wombwell’s Castle).
Chatsworth House
Chatsworth House, the largest private house in the UK, is a popular tourist destination. It is also the seat of the Duke of Devonshire and has been home to this family for nearly 300 years. The estate covers more than 50,000 acres (about 200 square kilometers)—more than twice as much land as central London.
The house itself was built by Sir George Sitwell (1602-1648) between 1671 and 1686 on land he purchased from Thomas Scrope, 1st Viscount Scrope of Masham. The structure was designed by William Talman in a Baroque style with two large wings flanking three sides of an open courtyard—a design that’s used at many other stately homes across England and Scotland .
Lyme Park
Lyme Park is a country house in the village of Lyme Park, Cheshire, England. It is a Grade I listed building. The house was designed by architect William Paley and built between 1810 and 1814 for Thomas Egerton, 1st Earl of Wilton.
The park was landscaped by Lancelot “Capability” Brown and features a large lake that has an island with an Egyptian Temple folly (the Temple of Health). The house is surrounded by formal gardens, which were remodelled during the ownership of Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (1802-1894) at the end of the 19th century to include extensive plantings of rhododendrons which provide colour throughout most of the year.