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Houses and Gardens
Great houses are a feature of Bedfordshire and Herfordshire - built by the many great landowners of this fertile farming area…
Hatfield House in Hertfordshire was one of the Tudor monarchs' great houses and was a favourite of Elizabeth I. Though part of the house has been destroyed, sufficient remains to impress the visitor and the knot garden and scented garden are really special.
Not far away, Knebworth is another stately pile of the Elizabethan era, with fine gardens which have an oriental feel.
Near Luton, Stockwood Country Park has a fine carriage collection and special gardens.
Woburn Abbey is the great house of Bedfordshire - the home of the Dukes of Bedford. It houses a magnificent collection of Canalettos, which are worth a visit in themselves. (Tel: 01525 290666)
Outside the house lies a landscaped 3000 acre deer park, plus of course the Safari Park.
Wrest Park is a large house in French style in the centre of Bedfordshire. It has 90 acres of landscaped an ornamental gardens, now in the care of English Heritage.
The central feature is the Long Water, headed by the Archer Pavilion. There are also many acres of woodland with meandering paths.
Old Warden Park is the home of the Swiss Garden, an ornamental garden in the Swiss style. Said to have been constructed for the Swiss mistress of Lord Ongley, the owner of the Old Warden estate, it was built in the 19th century and has been called one of the top 10 gardens in the country.
The garden contains delights such as the Indian Kiosk, the Thatched Tree Shelter, The Grotto, The Fernery and the Swiss Cottage. (Tel: 01767 627666)
To the east, near the border with Cambridgeshire, lies Wimpole Hall, an historic 18th century mansion in the care of the National Trust.
The Hall is open to visitors and there are also Formal Gardens, a landscaped park and a Rare Breeds farm.