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| Viscountess Garnock @Heathcliff O'Malley |
In 2024, Lady Violet Manners launched HeritageXplore, which she sees as a "mission to champion the U.K.’s historic houses, highlighting their beauty and charm to a wider audience. It is an understatement to say that Violet, now Viscountess Garnock, the wife of the heir to the Earl of Lindsay, understands the stately home, as she grew up at Belvoir Castle. Lady Garnock is the eldest of five children of the 11th Duke of Rutland.
Lady Garnock champions Britain's heritage, especially the independent stately home, including Belvoir Castle. The growing number of houses that are joining HeritageXplore have remained privately owned and are not in the care of the National Trust or English Heritage.
As someone who loves visiting stately homes, I can say wholeheartedly that no one does stately homes better than the UK. I have visited a selection of the houses that have joined HeritageXplore, including Blenheim Castle, Holkham Hall, Sudeley Castle, Drunlanrig Castle, Glamis Castle, and Syon House.
Last June, my friends Michael, Alison, and I went on a road trip, with the original plan to visit Belvoir Castle, but we had to change our plans because someone was getting married that weekend. [We won't hold it against you, Lady Garnock.]
HeritageXplore continues to grow with more stately homes and castles being added to its list. The group also supports events scheduled at these estates, including Easter events, comedy nights, ghost tours, and theatrical performances.
This year, Heritage Xplore Luxe offers three bespoke tours, two in England and one in Scotland.
Here is the information about the tours, from the company's press release:
"With Bridgerton-inspired travel having a major moment, HeritageXplore Luxe introduces three intimate, small-group journeys through England and Scotland that open the doors to privately owned castles and aristocratic estates. Hosted by the families who have owned these properties for generations, the small-group tours invite travelers to enjoy their own stately experience through rare access, elegant accommodation inside castle walls, and behind-the-scenes tours.
Arranged exclusively by HeritageXplore Luxe, the two England programs provide privileged access to five castles and six estates, their grounds, and the surrounding areas. The Scotland experience travels to six castles. Each program includes private chauffeured luxury transportation; meals hosted by resident Dukes, Duchesses, or Lords and Ladies; tours conducted by the estate owners; and overnight stays in the castles and estates. Meals are elegant affairs, with some designed as casual chic and others requiring cocktail or black-tie attire.
PROGRAM DETAILS
England’s Abbeys, Halls & Castles – April 27--May 1, 2026
Located across the East Midlands and North West England, and exclusive to HeritageXplore Luxe, England’s Abbeys, Halls & Castles program visits castles, halls, and the ducal seats of the region. Led by Viscountess Violet Garnock (née Lady Violet Manners), the eldest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland, and conducted by stewards or owners of the properties, the experience visits five of Britain’s grandest country estates. Accommodations in the castles and a nearby hotel, tours, and dining in castle state rooms are featured.
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| Belvoir Castle @Tom Kitto |
The visit begins at Hatfield House & Park in Hertfordshire, dating from 1607, whose artifacts include the signed death warrant of Mary Tudor, penned by Elizabeth I. A second stop at Belvoir Castle features a tour of the castle’s manicured gardens on a site that has roots back to the Norman Conquest, followed by a visit in Lincolnshire to the final masterpiece of Sir John Vanbrugh, 13th-century Grimsthorpe Castle, to view the castle’s art collection and one of the largest assortments of royal thrones and furnishings outside of the Royal Palace.
The next stop is medieval Haddon Hall in Derbyshire, one of England’s oldest historic houses and parklands. The final day leads to Combermere Abbey, originally a Cistercian monastery founded in 1133 and dissolved by Henry VIII in 1536, and now a private residence.
The five-day/four-night travel-through-history experience is priced beginning at £8,500 per person, based on double occupancy ($11,600 USD at the time of this writing). International flights are not included.
The Great Estates of Norfolk – May 26--29, 2026
Set in Norfolk and neighboring Suffolk in England’s eastern countryside, The Great Estates of Norfolk opens the doors to six esteemed, private estates across a region noted for its landscaped parklands and proximity to the North Sea coast.
Perfectly timed to allow an optional pre-tour to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London, the tour begins at Euston Hall, the ancestral seat of the Duke and Duchess of Grafton in Suffolk. In this setting dating from the 1660s, you’ll visit the home and parkland of the current Duke, a descendant of Charles II of England. Amidst the private collections of Royal Stuart portraitures, you’ll enjoy two dinners hosted by the Duke and Duchess of Grafton and two nights’ accommodation.
The second day takes you to Elveden Hall, an architectural wonder owned by the Guinness family. Through exclusive arrangement by HeritageXplore Luxe, guests have a privileged look at the estate’s distinctive fusion of English country house, Italian design, and Indian palace – it was once home to the exiled Maharajah Duleep Singh – and its exceptional Marble Hall.
Guests will also visit Houghton Hall, a magnificent Palladian structure built in the 1720s for Britain’s first Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole. A tour of the estate’s celebrated Walled Garden and State Rooms is followed by a cocktail reception on the West Front balcony overlooking the sculpture park. An additional stop includes an exclusive house and garden tour, an owner-hosted lunch, and evening accommodations at Sennowe Park, an Edwardian country estate and now a private residence.
The program finale is at refined Wolterton Hall, the former Palladian-style “Power House” residence of Sir Robert Walpole, concluding with a visit and private lunch at Holkham Hall, Thomas Coke’s Palladian-designed country house with its extensive art collection, William Kent-designed parklands, and sweeping coastal vistas.
The four-day/three-night travel-through-history experience is priced beginning at £9,500 per person ($13,000 USD at the time of this writing) based on double occupancy. International flights are not included.
HeritageXplore Luxe can arrange privileged access to the Chelsea Flower Show and accommodations at Claridge’s for an additional charge.
Castles of Scotland – July 31-- August 4, 2026
Traveling through central Scotland and the eastern Highlands, the Castles of Scotland program meanders through the country’s heartland, an area dotted with ancient castles with sweeping Highland vistas and stately homes. The program is led by Viscountess Violet Garnock (née Lady Violet Manners), the eldest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland. Privileged guests will enjoy the hospitality of Scotland’s illustrious noble families at their historic homes.
In Perthshire, The Earl and Countess of Mansfield welcome you to 19th-century Scone Palace, the crowning palace of 42 Scottish kings including Macbeth, Robert the Bruce, and Charles II. Scone Palace is home to an outstanding collection of antiques, paintings, and rare artifacts. The Earl and Countess of Rosebery are your hosts at Barnbougle Castle, a heritage site dating to the 13th century on the shore of the Firth of Forth.
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| Glamis Castle @Tom Kitto |
The Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne show off the distinctive design details of Glamis Castle in Angus, an architectural masterpiece from 1372 and the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Here, to further your immersion in Scottish country life, the option of clay pigeon shooting on the estate is offered.
Other visits include lunch at House of Bruar, the renowned country emporium, and an after-hours visit to Blair Castle, reflecting Medieval, Georgian and Victorian eras, where guests can view archival treasures before a private Champagne reception. A wine or whisky tasting of your choosing concludes the evening. The final day and celebration take place at Barnbougle Castle.
The four-day/three-night travel-through-history experience is priced beginning at £9,500 per person ($13,000 USD at the time of this writing) based on double occupancy. International flights are not included.
HeritageXplore Luxe can arrange privileged access to the Edinburgh International Festival for an additional charge.
ABOUT HERITAGEXPLORE LUXE PROGRAMS
HeritageXplore Luxe invites you inside the United Kingdom’s most remarkable private homes, not as a visitor, but as a personal guest of the families who have lived there for generations.
Three times a year, we welcome small groups of culturally curious travelers for immersive heritage experiences. These are set departures for those drawn to history, interiors, gardens and the enduring charm of the UK’s country houses.
Days are spent exploring the house and estate alongside your hosts, the families who know every room, portrait and story intimately. Evenings unfold over candlelit dinners in state dining rooms -- black-tie affairs where conversation flows as freely as the wine.
ABOUT HERITAGEXPLORE
HeritageXplore is the UK’s dedicated platform for discovering and booking visits to the country’s most exceptional privately owned historic houses. Beyond traditional day trips, we connect you to Britain's most imaginative heritage experiences -- candlelit comedy evenings, contemporary art exhibitions, supper clubs, and behind-the-scenes access that bring these remarkable houses to life.
For those seeking deeper access, The HeritageX Club offers exclusive benefits: discounts on stays at unique estate properties, plus a monthly newsletter filled with insider stories and the best of what’s on across Britain's heritage scene."
The Lux tours are limited in number and are for discriminating tastes -- well-heeled people who appreciate culture, art, and history. If I could afford these tours, I would sign up, but, hey, I'm a senior citizen on a fixed income, who is very much the bargain traveler.
This does not mean I can't support an organization that is led by the very enthusiastic and knowledgeable Lady Garnock. She also has VERY GOOD contacts. One of her goals is to have more young people learn about their heritage, which I find awesome.
If you are interested in the Luxe tours, click this link.
HeritageXplore offers a £20 yearly membership. Please visit the website to learn more about this impactful organization.
During my many trips to the UK since the mid-1970s, I have visited numerous stately homes. Belvoir Castle and Haddon Hall remain on my bucket list. There is more to the United Kingdom than London and the surrounding areas. Not every house is easily accessible by public transport, as I am reminded of my very long walk from the bus stop to Hardwick Hall in 2022. By contrast, a train station is across the street from the entrance to Hatfield House.
Take advantage of HeritageXplore's offering. You won't be disappointed.
