Majestic Castles, Gardens & Homes of Glorious Gloucestershire

Check in to the hotel in Cheltenham in the afternoon. Later, we enjoy a welcome drink reception hosted by our tour manager.

Today we visit Berkeley Castle, ordered by Henry II to defend the Severn estuary and the Welsh border. Berkeley is a real jewel, an almost complete medieval survival that allows us to imagine how it might have been to live there with its fine rooms and magnificent collections. The castle is the oldest building in the country to be inhabited by the same family who built it, and the Berkeley family are one of only three in England who can trace their ancestry from right back to Saxon times. This historic gem is also famous as the scene of Edward II’s brutal murder and has additionally been used as a filming location, including in the hugely successful Poldark TV series and Wolf Hall. We learn more about the history and collections within the castle on our fascinating guided tour.

We then travel the short distance to Dr Jenner’s House, also situated in the historic market town of Berkeley. Here we discover the elegant former home of the country doctor whose work changed history. This is the house where Edward Jenner, pioneer of the smallpox vaccination, once lived and from where he told the world about his work.

Later, we step back in time at Thornbury Castle, the only Tudor castle to be opened as a hotel. Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn spent ten nights here in 1535 and the beautiful fortress was once owned by the infamous Tudor king. Here we are treated to an indulgent afternoon tea, while outside, there’s time to follow in the footsteps of royalty and explore the manicured lawns and landscaped grounds.

We begin with an expert-led guided tour of Highgrove Gardens, the organic gardens of Their Majesties. Over 30 years in the making, Highgrove has one of the most creatively inspired and innovative gardens in the country and embody The King’s environmental philosophy ‘it is better to work with nature than against it’. Each area has its own character and purpose and includes the Kitchen Garden, the stunning Wildflower Meadow and a National Collection of Beech trees, with Highgrove House always visible in the distance.

Next is a guided tour of Woodchester Mansion, a unique and unfinished Victorian Gothic Revival house. The masterpiece of a young local architect, Benjamin Bucknall, the mansion blends the local traditional work in limestone with the ideas of the French architectural thinker Viollet-le-Duc. Building started around 1857 but stopped in the mid-1860s, leaving floors and ceilings missing, walls unplastered and windows unglazed.

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

This morning we head to Cirencester Park, a magnificent mansion built on the foundations of a Jacobean house. Concealed from the town by the world’s tallest yew hedge, the classical-style gem is nestled in 3,000 acres of tranquil woodland and was used as a military base during World War Two. While the picturesque park is open to visitors all year round, access to the house itself is rare, but we are lucky enough to enjoy a private guided tour today.

Our next stop is the 17th-century Kelmscott Manor, the Cotswold retreat of William Morris, his family, friends and colleagues. Described as ‘heaven on earth’ by Morris himself, this tranquil haven inspired many of Morris’s most important designs and writings and the evocative house contains an outstanding collection of the possessions and works of Morris and his associates including furniture, textiles, paintings and ceramics. The manor reopened in 2022 after it was closed for refurbishment and the interiors have been redisplayed to offer a more homely feel and an authentic impression of how they appeared in the late 19th century, when the Morris family were living there.

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

Please note: the itinerary order is subject to change and guided tours are subject to availability.