The King's Playground - at Home with the Aristocrats of the Cotswolds

For our first excursion we take a guided tour of the stunning Painswick Rococo Garden. Initially designed in the 1740s as an English country gentleman’s pleasure garden and a venue for hosting intimate garden parties, it is now the country’s sole surviving complete Rococo garden, so-called for its winding pathways and imaginative follies, full of architectural charm and fragrant blooms.

We then head to Berkeley Castle, built by Robert Fitzharding in the 12th century and 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, which have appeared on screen in the hugely successful Poldark and Wolf Hall. Reigning monarch Edward II was sent here as a prisoner after his wife Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer usurped his power, and we can even see the room where he is supposed to have been murdered in 1327. The castle is also the oldest building in the country to be inhabited by the same family who built it, and the Berkeley family are one of only four in England who can trace their ancestry from father to son right back to Saxon times. We learn more about the history and unique items within the castle on our fascinating guided tour. 

Today we are treated to a 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 embodies 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. Highgrove is also just a few miles from Gatcombe Park, the country residence of Anne, Princess Royal. To round off our time here, we enjoy a two-course lunch.

Our next stop is Badminton House. Nestled within an expansive rural idyll, this impressive country estate performed on screen for a variety of Bridgerton scenes, including the home of Lady Danbury, the Duke and Daphne’s morning rooms and the inside of the Foundling Hospital in the London slums. Very versatile indeed! This historic gem has also played host to royalty, including Charles II, William of Orange (who stayed here on his return from the Battle of the Boyne) and Queen Mary, George V’s beloved wife who resided here for much of the Second World War. The estate is the current ancestral home of the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort, and we find out more about them and the history of the property during our visit here. We also take a private guided tour of the gardens, filled with vibrant flowers and a delight to explore in the springtime. We learn how the first Duchess of Beaufort, Mary Somerset, collected thousands of plants from across the world and created a beautiful garden in the 17th century, while the famous Capability Brown later assisted with the landscape design.

We spend time exploring the beautiful Forest of Dean and its surroundings today, once an exclusive hunting round for Tudor monarchs and a main source of food for royal banquets, with the timber being used for warships. We retrace their steps and head into the heart of the forest at Puzzlewood, one of the most enchanting ancient woodlands in the country. With a fairytale-like atmosphere, twisted roots along winding pathways and dappled sunlight filtering through moss-covered trees, it's no surprise that this has been a filming location for hits such as Star Wars, The Secret Garden and more. It is also believed to be the inspiration behind The Lord of the Rings and, incredibly, around 3,000 Roman-era coins were uncovered here in 1848.

Our next stop is the historic Speech House Hotel, where we enjoy lunch. Originally built for Charles II as a hunting lodge, this architectural gem then housed court proceedings for the protection of forest venison and was severely damaged in the Revolution of 1688, but by 1840 it began to be used as a welcoming inn. Look out for original features during our time here, including the open fireplace, centuries-old antlers, a royal coat of arms, paintings and carved oak chairs (which were once stolen and were taken on a journey through Portugal and Spain, only to end up at an auction house in London before they were rightfully returned)!

The day concludes with a visit to Westbury Court Garden, the country’s only restored Dutch-style water garden with canals, a pool, topiary and vegetable plots. Laid out between 1696 and 1705, it was designed by Maynard Colchester to be a source of food as well as pleasure, and it now appears as it did all those centuries ago, with tulips, fruit trees and neat hedges amongst other horticultural delights. For a lovely view, head up to the Tall Pavilion, which also displays Johannes Kip's early 18th century engraved prints of the garden.