Montacute House

Montacute House stands as one of England’s finest Elizabethan mansions—a masterpiece of late 16th-century architecture that has survived remarkably intact. Built in the 1590s from locally quarried ham stone that glows golden in sunlight, this H-shaped manor showcases Renaissance ambition rendered in quintessentially English style.

The Long Gallery is genuinely breathtaking, at 172 feet, it’s the longest surviving Elizabethan gallery in England. Walking its length beneath ornate plasterwork ceilings, surrounded by Tudor and Jacobean portraits from the National Portrait Gallery’s collection, creates visceral connection to the period.

The Great Hall, Library, and State Rooms maintain their Elizabethan character with period furniture and textiles. The house wasn’t significantly altered in later centuries—what you see is genuinely Elizabethan, not Victorian interpretation.

The Gardens and Parkland: The formal gardens complement the house beautifully. Clipped yews, formal beds, and gravel paths create Renaissance geometry. The raised walks offer views across the estate.