The Highlife - Highclere & Its Neighbours

Check in to the Delta by Marriott Hotel, Heathrow Windsor in the afternoon. Later, we enjoy a welcome drink reception hosted by our tour manager.

Our first visit is to Syon, a family residence for 400 years and the London home of the Duke of Northumberland. After being seized at Hampton Court Palace in 1541, Catherine Howard was taken to Syon and put under house arrest here. Following a lengthy imprisonment, she was taken to the Tower of London to be executed and when Henry VIII died five years later, his coffin rested at Syon House for a night before the procession continued to Windsor. This is also where Lady Jane Grey received the news that she would become Queen in 1553, so there are plenty of stories to discover around every corner here. With access to the beautiful gardens and spectacular Great Observatory too, Syon is a wonderful place to start on our Highlife tour.

Next, we continue to Fulham Palace, lying on the north bank of the River Thames and featuring an idyllic botanic garden. The site has been a residence of the Bishops of London since AD 704, yet the original manor house was abandoned in the mid 13^th century. Since then, different Bishops have remodelled, leading to an eclectic mix of architectural styles and tastes. Primarily used as a summertime retreat to escape the London crowds, the palace hosted a range of important visitors, from a lavish banquet for Elizabeth I to breakfast for George III, before it became a place of refuge during the two World Wars. Bishop Stopford was the last Bishop of London to live here in 1973, and we learn more during our guided tour while strolling through the Tudor great hall, Bishop's Library (look out for the secret door!) and the Victorian chapel.

Our first visit today is Blenheim Palace, designed on an awe-inspiring scale by Vanbrugh and set in over 2,000 acres of beautiful parkland landscaped by Capability Brown. As the seat of the Dukes of Marlborough, the palace is synonymous with the Churchill family and is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. A permanent exhibition commemorates the life of this famous wartime Prime Minister, whilst the magnificent State Rooms reveal a superb collection of tapestries, paintings, porcelain and furniture. We learn more during our special guided tour, followed by lunch.

We then visit Kingston Bagpuize House, a much-loved Georgian family home with a remarkable Queen Anne exterior, 18^th-century cantilever staircase. As we wander through the beautiful entrance hall, lavish drawing room, oak-panelled library and more, look out for the French furniture, Turkish rugs and Chinese wallpaper amongst other family treasures. It is no surprise that the house has featured on screen multiple times, including series 5, 6 and the Christmas special of Downton Abbey plus the 2020 adaptation of Emma. After our guided tour, take a stroll in the lovely gardens and enjoy some tea or coffee with cake.

After dinner this evening, we enjoy an interesting themed talk from a guest speaker.

After breakfast, we make our way to the world-famous Highclere Castle, home to the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon and the filming location for the much-loved Downton Abbey TV series and movies. Completed in 1842, this treasure boasts an impressive architectural design with its distinctive towers and turrets along with a colourful history, from its Anglo-Saxon roots to its hospital conversion during WWI. There is plenty to explore, including the Drawing and Dining Rooms plus the Egyptian Exhibition in the cellars of the castle, celebrating the 5th Earl of Carnarvon’s discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922. Take the chance to walk in the footsteps of your favourite Downton Abbey characters and look closer at the rooms and opulent interiors that formed the backdrop to this hugely popular series, such as the grand staircase and library. Outside, you can explore the beautiful gardens and 1,000 acres of spectacular parkland, designed for the 1st Earl of Carnarvon by the famous 18^th-century landscape gardener Capability Brown.

In the afternoon, we head to Grade I listed Dorney Court, one of England’s finest Tudor manor houses set amidst mature parkland and home of the Palmer family for more than 450 years. We are treated to a guided tour and learn more about the family portraits and varied collections of art that tell a visual tale of the tastes and fortunes of everyone who has lived here. This glimpse through the ages is a fascinating way to round off our immersion into the aristocratic highlife.

After breakfast, check out of the hotel for the journey home.