Great British Houses

Kicking off our new series, Great British Houses, we join Alice Loxton and Dan Snow on a journey through one of the gems of the National Trust’s collection, the magnificent Stourhead. In this documentary, Alice and Dan set off on a whirlwind tour of the social and cultural movements which influenced the creation of this 18th century country estate: everything from Grand Tours to the Picturesque, Palladianism to the Gothic Revival. Guided by experts and volunteers along the way, and travelling by horse and by boat through one of the most beautiful gardens in the country, they decode a trail of clues to reveal a world in miniature.

In the heart of Kent is one of Britain’s most intriguing houses: Sissinghurst Castle Garden. Originally a grand Elizabethan manor, by the 20th century Sissinghurst had fallen into a ruinous state. Yet it was this wildness and disrepair which enchanted one of the bestselling writers of the 1920s, Vita Sackville-West.

The Great British Houses series continues with another gem of The National Trust’s collection. About 10 miles from the centre of London is one of the most magnificent houses of Stuart England, Ham House. This lavish mansion is a treasure trove of 17th century art and architecture, a dazzling red-brick jewel on the muddy banks of the River Thames.