38 BRITAIN http://www.britain-magazine.com
STATELY HOMES
Thegildedstateroomsgivea senseofthehistoryand
prestigeofthehouse.AnUpstairstourwillbringyouinto
thebedroomswhereguestsoftheMarlboroughfamilystay
eventoday(andshowhowtheroomsarelinkedbysecret
doorwaysorcorridors).Guideswillalsorevealanecdotes
aboutpastresidentsandguests,fromWinstonChurchill,
whowasbornhere,toCharlieChaplinandBillClinton.
Meanwhile,theDownstairstourgivesyoua peekat
howstaffscurrythroughpassagewaysandtunnelsto
ensureeverythingkeepstickingalongnicely.Serviceis
nottakenlightlyhereandthepressureis on:fromthe
momentfoodis platedupbytheMichelin-starredchef,
staffhavejust 34 secondstoplaceit onthetable,one
oorabove.MrCarson,DowntonAbbey’s exacting
butler,wouldnodoubtapprove.
FormoreonBritain'sbeautifulstatelyhomes,see
http://www.britain-magazine.com
HolkhamHall
TicketsfortheHiddenPassages
andServants’Stairstoursare
£25(inadditiontotheentry
price)andshouldbebooked
inadvance.Notethatyouwill
havetoascendanddescend
70 stepsduringthetour.
http://www.holkham.co.uk
UpparkHouse
Youcanvisittheservants’
quartersaspartoftheentry
fee.Maketimetowalkthe
exquisitegroundsforviews
oftheSouthDowns,too.
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk
AudleyEndHouse
The1880sservicewingopens
earlierthanthemainhouse,
soit’sworthvisitingthispart
ofthehousefirst–withfilm
projectionsandtraditional
foodtotransportyouback
intime–beforeventuring
abovestairs.
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk
BlenheimPalace
TheUpstairsandDownstairs
tourscost£5each,inaddition
tothemainentryfee.Book
inadvanceinsummer.
http://www.blenheimpalace.com
BOOK AHEAD
Above: The Hall of
Blenheim Palace This
image: Winston
Churchill’s father,
Lord Randolph,
dubbed this ‘the finest
view in England’
PHOTOS:
©
BLENHEIM PALACE