Grand country houses, sweeping gardens and stories that run for centuries – Northamptonshire is packed with stately homes that make brilliant days out. Use the area sections to plan your route, then pick a house for architecture, art, gardens or a top tearoom. Opening patterns can be seasonal or on selected days, so always check dates and ticketing before you travel.
Stately homes near Northampton (heritage in and around the county town)
Delapré Abbey
Address: Delapré Abbey, London Road, Northampton NN4 8AW
Website: delapreabbey.org
900 years of history, city-meets-parkland setting and a growing calendar of special events.
Once a Cluniac nunnery and later a grand house, Delapré combines atmospheric rooms with free-to-enjoy grounds. Tours dive into monastic life, Georgian refits and local battles, while outside you get lakes, lawns and a kitchen garden area for relaxed wandering. The on-site café and exhibitions make this an easy half or full day.
Holdenby House
Address: Holdenby, Northampton NN6 8DJ
Website: holdenby.com
Elizabethan history, classic gardens and falconry experiences on selected open days.
Built by Sir Christopher Hatton, Holdenby was once one of the largest houses in England. Today it opens for special events and garden days, with Icarus Falconry experiences that bring the estate to life. Expect roses, terraces and far-reaching views – plus a house with serious stories.
Castle Ashby Gardens
Address: Castle Ashby, Northampton NN7 1LQ
Website: castleashbygardens.co.uk
Romantic Italianate gardens, arboretum and menagerie-style animal corner – the house remains private.
Even without house access, the gardens are a Northants must. Stroll through formal terraces and walled gardens, find shade in the arboretum and let little legs loose by the small animal area. Tearooms, plant sales and seasonal trails round it off.
Cottesbrooke Hall and Gardens
Address: Cottesbrooke, Northampton NN6 8PF
Website: cottesbrooke.co.uk
Queen Anne house with award-winning gardens and a fine art collection, usually open on selected days in spring and summer.
Best known for its elegant layout and plant-rich borders, Cottesbrooke is a joy for gardeners and photographers. Join a timed house tour to see portraits and porcelain, then linger in the water garden and wildflower meadows.
Cottesbrooke – nearby alternative: Cottesbrooke village walk
Address: Start from the village green, Cottesbrooke NN6 8PF
Website: explore-northants.co.uk
Honey-stone cottages and church views if the hall is between open days.
When the house is closed you can still enjoy the setting with a gentle loop around the lanes and field paths – bring boots after rain.
Stately homes around Kettering, Rothwell and Rushton (baroque drama and curious follies)
Boughton House
Address: Boughton Park, near Kettering NN14 1BJ
Website: boughtonhouse.co.uk
“The English Versailles” – extraordinary art, tapestries and a sweeping formal landscape, usually open on selected dates.
Boughton rewards slow looking. Inside you will find star pieces by great artists and rooms that flow with theatrical ease. Outside, avenues and water features frame long walks and summer picnics. Check for late openings and outdoor theatre.
Rushton Hall Hotel and Spa
Address: Desborough Road, Rushton NN14 1RR
Website: rushtonhall.com
Grade I listed country house you can actually stay in – ideal for afternoon tea or a treat-night escape.
While not a regular house museum, Rushton lets you experience stately living from the inside with dining, spa days and stays. Book a table, explore the grounds as a guest and raise a glass in oak-panelled splendour.
Rushton Triangular Lodge (English Heritage)
Address: Rushton, Kettering NN14 1RP
Website: english-heritage.org.uk
An Elizabethan puzzle in stone – tiny, perfect and steeped in symbolism.
Commissioned by Sir Thomas Tresham, this three-sided folly is a quick, fascinating stop that pairs well with larger houses nearby. The inscriptions and numerology keep history buffs happy and kids love the secretive feel.
Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens
Address: Kelmarsh, Northampton NN6 9LY
Website: kelmarsh.com
Pastel-perfect Georgian interiors and generous gardens with lakes and parkland, usually open across spring and summer.
Kelmarsh balances elegance with warmth. House rooms are beautifully restored with stories of fashion and country life, while the gardens mix formal borders with woodland edges. Expect family trails and a friendly café.
Stately homes near Corby and the Welland Valley (castles, manors and peacocks on the lawn)
Rockingham Castle
Address: Rockingham, Market Harborough LE16 8TH
Website: rockinghamcastle.com
Fortress to family home with one of the best views in the county.
Rockingham’s rooms chart almost a thousand years, from Norman roots to Victorian comforts. Terraced lawns drop towards the Welland Valley and peacocks wander the gardens. Outdoor theatre and event days add extra sparkle in summer.
Kirby Hall (English Heritage)
Address: Deene, Corby NN17 3EN
Website: english-heritage.org.uk
Grand Elizabethan mansion – part-ruined, wholly romantic – with formal gardens and friendly resident peacocks.
This is a photographer’s dream: sun-warmed stone, topiary and sky-filled rooms. Audio guides bring the past to life and the lawns are made for picnics and hide-and-seek.
Deene Park
Address: Deene, Corby NN17 3EG
Website: deenepark.com
Atmospheric house and gardens with lakes, vistas and centuries of family history, usually open on selected Sundays and bank holidays.
Expect richly furnished rooms, portraits and a lived-in feel that museum houses sometimes lack. Outside, water and woodland create long, satisfying walks.
Stately homes around Wellingborough and the Nene Valley (riverside heritage and gardens)
Chester House Estate – Heritage Galleries and Grounds
Address: Claudius Way, Irchester NN29 7EZ
Website: chesterhouseestate.org
Archaeology-led estate beside the River Nene with free-to-enter grounds and changing events.
While not a classic stately home, this restored heritage site makes a great companion to house visits with exhibitions, cafés and riverside walks. Look for crafts markets and family trails across the year.
Wellingborough – add-on: Croyland Abbey remains and town trail
Address: Croyland Gardens, Wellingborough NN8 2EN
Website: northnorthants.gov.uk
Ruins and green space for a short, heritage-flavoured pause between bigger visits.
Pick up a simple town trail to link gardens, churches and the museum for a low-key history morning.
Stately homes around Oundle and East Northants (Elizabethan landscapes and quiet villages)
Lyveden (National Trust)
Address: Near Oundle PE8 5AT
Website: nationaltrust.org.uk/lyveden
An unfinished Elizabethan lodge set among moats and earthworks – haunting and beautiful.
Lyveden’s story of faith and endurance is told through a roofless shell, patterned terraces and orchard plantings. Rights of way skirt the wider landscape for longer walks and new viewpoints, and the café does a strong line in seasonal bakes.
Drayton House (very limited openings)
Address: Lowick, near Thrapston NN14 3BG
Website: draytonestate.com
Private historic house with rare open days and guided tours when announced.
If you love the thrill of seeing somewhere few people do, keep an eye on announcements for occasional tours. The village setting and estate architecture are impressive even when the house is closed.
Apethorpe Palace (limited tours)
Address: Apethorpe, near Oundle PE8 5DL
Website: historicengland.org.uk
One of the country’s most important Jacobean houses with a long royal backstory.
Tours are typically offered on a limited basis with pre-booking essential. Expect craftsmanship, grand rooms and a deep dive into conservation.
Stately homes around Towcester, Brackley and South Northants (canals, manors and world-famous estates)
Canons Ashby (National Trust)
Address: Canons Ashby, Daventry NN11 3SD
Website: nationaltrust.org.uk/canons-ashby
Elizabethan manor with intimate rooms, church and gardens that feel made for lingering.
Low, golden stone and lived-in interiors make Canons Ashby especially welcoming. Pick up a family trail, explore the parterre and orchard and pause for cake in the tea room. Seasonal events add extra reasons to return.
Sulgrave Manor
Address: Manor Road, Sulgrave OX17 2SD
Website: sulgravemanor.org.uk
Ancestral home of George Washington’s family with Anglo-American stories and gardens to explore.
A favourite for history fans, Sulgrave mixes Tudor rooms with exhibitions about transatlantic ties. Look for living history days and heritage crafts on the lawn in warmer months.
Silverstone – add-on: Silverstone Museum
Address: Silverstone Circuit, Towcester NN12 8TN
Website: silverstonemuseum.co.uk
Not a stately home, but a compelling heritage stop that pairs neatly with house visits in South Northants.
If you are touring Canons Ashby or Sulgrave, the museum’s interactive galleries and circuit views create a different kind of historic day.
Stately homes around Daventry and West Northants (bluebell woods and grand avenues)
Althorp House (seasonal openings)
Address: Althorp, Northampton NN7 4HQ
Website: althorpestate.com
Family seat of the Spencer family with a renowned art collection, parkland and lakes.
Althorp typically opens to the public in summer for house tours and grounds. Expect elegant rooms, portraits and a reflective island memorial in the lake. Café stops and gift shop browsing round off a classic day out.
Cottesbrooke and Everdon – bluebell add-on walks
Address: Everdon Stubbs NN11 3BX and Badby Woods NN11 3AR
Website: wildlifebcn.org
If you are visiting houses nearby in spring, these ancient woods are famous for bluebells.
Pick a dry morning for carpets of blue and birdsong. Stick to main rides to protect delicate plants and pair the walk with tea in a village café.
Planning tips: Many houses open on specific days or by timed ticket – book ahead, especially for summer weekends and bank holidays. Check access notes if you are visiting with wheels or buggies, and confirm whether dogs can enter gardens or parkland. For calmer visits, try weekday mornings outside school holidays. If you discover a hidden gem we have missed, let us know and we will add it.
