Luxury lodges: castles, cottages and temples to rent
From a castle perched on the edge of the sea to a gothic temple surrounded by a famous landscape garden, we round up extraordinary Landmark Trust properties
Landmark Trust properties to stay in on holiday
Thanks to its rich and cultured history dating back thousands of years, the UK is in no short supply of period properties, many of which reflect the grandiose trends of the times. What you might not know, though, is that the Landmark Trust has renovated over 200 of these properties, which were left derelict or uninhabited following their heyday.
The trust’s collection of self-catered holiday accommodation includes all sorts of luxury lodges, from holiday cottages to castles and follies. What’s more, almost all the properties allow guests to bring their dogs and some even take home deliveries from Waitrose. We’ve scoured the list and rounded up some of the most quirky and exciting properties you can stay in on your holiday.
Martello Tower, Aldeburgh, Suffolk
A stay in Martello Tower is ideal for those who are impressed by loud, proud buildings but like their lodgings down-to-earth and rustically charming. With its white brick walls, vintage signs and wooden furnishings, Martello Tower has been renovated in a way that ensures none of its authenticity is lost. Nearly a million bricks were used to build the gigantic, quatrefoil-shaped structure of the tower, which was originally commissioned for the far more serious purpose of keeping Napoleon out.
With its positioning at the foot of the Orford Ness peninsular, straddling both the River Alde and the sea, guests can enjoy the often dramatic elements, knowing they’re safe in one of the sturdiest structures around (and with the town of Aldeburgh a short escape away). The large, lofty communal spaces mean you’ll never feel on top of one another, while the bedrooms – which are screened rather than walled off from the living area – mean you won’t feel too cut off from your fellow guests while you sleep. If the weather’s good, be sure to enjoy some fish and chips, and a pint of local brew on the roof of the tower, while watching the boats glide past.
SLEEPS: 4 (2 twins)
PRICE: £634 for 4 nights
WHERE: Martello Tower, Aldeburgh, Woodbridge IP12 2HD
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The Banqueting House, Newcastle upon Tyne
Fancy a stay in a secluded 18th-century Gothic folly? The Banqueting House on the Gibside Estate in Newcastle upon Tyne offers just that. The property was commissioned by Gibside owner George Bowes in the 1700s and was very much designed to be both looked at and out from.
Enjoy feeling like the king or queen of the castle (or if you're easily spooked, the unwitting hero of a gothic horror movie) while encased inside its walls, and enjoy a picnic on the sprawling lawns in front of the property, as the guests of the house would have done back in the 18th-century. Parlour games anyone?
SLEEPS: 4 (1 twin, 1 double)
PRICE: £328 for 4 nights
WHERE: The Banqueting House, Gibside Park, Gateshead Road, Rowlands Gill, Newcastle upon Tyne NE16 6BG
Read more
Queen Anne’s Summer House, Old Warden
Queen Anne’s Summer House is like something out of a fairytale: the four-pillared property looks like a mini castle and is entirely surrounded by woodland. The folly is thought to date back to the 1700s, with historians believing it was built after Queen Anne knighted Samuel Ongley, who owned the estate at Old Warden, and used as a pavilion and summerhouse during the estate’s golden years.
There’s a lot to love about the Summer House’s interiors, from the vast, regal bedroom with its floor-to-ceiling windows to the stone spiral staircase leading down to the property’s star turn: a stylish green-painted bathroom with brick flooring and a standalone bath as the centrepiece. The minimalist kitchen – a cross between Scandi-chic and rural country in its appearance – is fitted with all the appliances needed to make home-cooking an easy option during your stay. Don’t miss out on spending some quality time on the rooftop, from where you can look out at the woodland which stretches in all directions and feel like the only person in the world.
SLEEPS: 2 (1 double)
PRICE: £323 for 4 nights
WHERE: Queen Anne’s Summer House, Shuttleworth, Old Warden, Biggleswade SG18 9FA
Read more
Kingswear Castle, Devon
Perched on craggy rocks with the sea almost lapping at the doors, Kingswear Castle looks like something out of a picture book. A stay here isn’t as treacherous as it sounds, though. The thick walls, low ceilings and tiny windows make the castle feel snug and sturdy once inside. It’s also a stone’s throw from the seaside town of Kingswear, meaning guests are close to all the amenities you’d expect from a more conventional stay.
The castle was completed in 1502 and fitted with guns in order to protect nearby Dartmouth – a short boat ride across the waters. From the rooftop – a sun terrace complete with deck chairs – guests can enjoy the novelty of raising and lowering the Union Jack flag (fitted in a bid to restore the castle authentically) at their leisure. The top of the castle is also the best place to enjoy calming views of the waters beneath as well as those of boats passing along the river.
SLEEPS: 4 (1 twin, 1 double)
PRICE: £658 for 4 nights
WHERE: Kingswear Castle, Kingswear, Dartmouth TQ6 0DX
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Appleton Water Tower, Norfolk
Back in the late 1800s, Appleton Water Tower was where the royal family entertained guests for shooting parties or picnics while in Norfolk. The tower was built as a solution to the unsanitary water supplies in Sandringham, which nearly led to the death of Edward Prince of Wales when he contracted typhoid. It's said the young royals helped lay the foundation blocks of the tower.
Not only did the 32,000-gallon cast-iron tank that tops the 60-foot tower deliver the water pressure required, the upper levels provide breathtaking views of the Norfolk landscape, which guests can enjoy today much like the royals did in Victorian times.
SLEEPS: 4 (1 twin, 1 double)
PRICE: £530 for 4 nights
WHERE: Appleton Water Tower, King's Lynn, Elizabeth Bungalows, West Newton, King's Lynn PE31 6AY
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Goddards, Surrey
If you’re planning a getaway with a large group and are looking to stay in fancy period lodgings, Goddards in Surrey is your answer. Built by Edwin Lutyens between 1898 and 1900, the property was one of the first to be designed in what is now considered ‘traditional Surrey style’. Embellished throughout with mock Tudor beams, Goddards boasts not one but several communal rooms, large bedrooms, a banquet hall and even a skittle alley – a restoration of the property’s original bowling alley.
In the courtyard garden outside, take one of the many paths and get lost in the gardens which surround the house, enjoying the bursts of flora and fauna popping up from whichever way you look. A bonus? You can get a Waitrose home delivery to Goddards, so you can enjoy a self-catered stay and make the most of the grand banquet hall.
SLEEPS: 12 (4 single, 3 double, 1 twin)
PRICE: £1,733 for 4 nights
WHERE: Goddards, Abinger Common, Abinger Lane, Abinger Common, Dorking RH5 6JJ
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The Pigsty, Yorkshire
If someone told you six months ago that you’d be booking a stay in a former pigsty, you might have been a little alarmed. But that’s before you knew about The Pigsty: a converted pig hut fronted by Greek-inspired pillars. The eccentric-looking, single-storey landmark boasts vistas of tumbling fields and hedgerows rolling down towards the sea at Robin Hood’s Bay.
The Pigsty was commissioned by Squire Barry of Fyling Hall, who was said to have been inspired by the architecture he saw on his travels in the Mediterranean in the 1880s. Instead of turning his own home into a faux Greek temple though, he saved the wow-factor look for his pigs’ lodgings. Today, the Pigsty makes for a cosy place to stay with its wood-burning stove and plenty of books for company. From here, excursions can easily be made to the nearby seaside town of Whitby and the North Yorkshire Moors.
SLEEPS: 2 (1 double)
PRICE: £281 for 4 nights
WHERE: The Pigsty, Robin Hood’s Bay, North York Moors National Park, YO22 4QE
Read more
The China Tower, Devon
The China Tower on the Rolle Estate near Sidmouth, Devon, is a 19th century Gothic tower boasting some of the most eccentric interiors you’ll find on this list. Formerly the property of Devon aristocrats the Rolles family, the octagonal tower is kitted out with a blue-walled, purple-furnished living room, and an elegant spiral staircase leading up to both of its octagonal bedrooms.
The tower was bought by Lady Rolle, who named it in honour of the rich collection of china she kept on display there. Today, the pared-back kitchen still has a collection of chinaware on show (albeit a minimal one). Make your tea down here then take it up to enjoy on the tower’s own private roof terrace.
SLEEPS: 4 (1 twin, 1 double)
PRICE: £321 for 4 nights
WHERE: The China Town, Colaton Raleigh, Sidmouth EX10 0JB
Read more
Gothic Temple, Buckinghamshire
Set in one of the world's most famous landscape gardens, the Gothic Temple at Stowe offers a chance to live out your childhood dreams of being a princess in a castle. The temple was built in 1741 as a place of residence for Lord Cobham. From its gothic windows, guests can peer out onto the lakes and vast expanse of greenery, while a clearer, panoramic view can be enjoyed from the roof terrace.
Inside the temple, the circular rooms frame the central space: a stone-walled living room with bright purple furnishings, from where you can gaze up at the spectacular mosaic-studded dome of the ceiling. A spiral staircase leads up to the turrets which have converted into bedrooms and the bathroom, where you can lounge in true style in the free-standing bathtub.
SLEEPS: 4 (2 doubles)
PRICE: £623 for 4 nights
WHERE: Gothic Temple, Stowe, Buckingham MK18 5ED
Read more
Coed y Bleiddiau, Gwynedd
Step back in time through a stay at Coed y Bleiddiau railway cottage in Wales, set low into the mountain slope of Snowdonia National Park. Coed y Bleiddiau (meaning ‘wood of the wolves’) was built in 1863 for the railway Superintendent, T. Henry Hovenden. The cottage was used as an intermediate stop for those transporting Welsh slate by train. Today, not only do the lodgings provide a front row seat for watching steam trains chuff past, if you time it right, you can arrive on one too, alighting at the cottage’s own private platform.
Once settled, there’s plenty to explore close buy, including walks though the national park and bird watching. More of a homebird? Hunker down in the cottage's cosy surroundings and revel in its history as the former holiday home of the composer Sir Granville Bantock and later the Arabist Harry St. John ‘Jack’ Philby.
SLEEPS: 4
PRICE: £375 for 4 nights
WHERE: Coed-y-bleiddiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, LL41 3YT
Read more
The trust’s collection of self-catered holiday accommodation includes all sorts of luxury lodges, from holiday cottages to castles and follies. What’s more, almost all the properties allow guests to bring their dogs and some even take home deliveries from Waitrose. We’ve scoured the list and rounded up some of the most quirky and exciting properties you can stay in on your holiday.
Martello Tower, Aldeburgh, Suffolk
A stay in Martello Tower is ideal for those who are impressed by loud, proud buildings but like their lodgings down-to-earth and rustically charming. With its white brick walls, vintage signs and wooden furnishings, Martello Tower has been renovated in a way that ensures none of its authenticity is lost. Nearly a million bricks were used to build the gigantic, quatrefoil-shaped structure of the tower, which was originally commissioned for the far more serious purpose of keeping Napoleon out.
With its positioning at the foot of the Orford Ness peninsular, straddling both the River Alde and the sea, guests can enjoy the often dramatic elements, knowing they’re safe in one of the sturdiest structures around (and with the town of Aldeburgh a short escape away). The large, lofty communal spaces mean you’ll never feel on top of one another, while the bedrooms – which are screened rather than walled off from the living area – mean you won’t feel too cut off from your fellow guests while you sleep. If the weather’s good, be sure to enjoy some fish and chips, and a pint of local brew on the roof of the tower, while watching the boats glide past.
SLEEPS: 4 (2 twins)
PRICE: £634 for 4 nights
WHERE: Martello Tower, Aldeburgh, Woodbridge IP12 2HD
Read more
The Banqueting House, Newcastle upon Tyne
Fancy a stay in a secluded 18th-century Gothic folly? The Banqueting House on the Gibside Estate in Newcastle upon Tyne offers just that. The property was commissioned by Gibside owner George Bowes in the 1700s and was very much designed to be both looked at and out from.
Enjoy feeling like the king or queen of the castle (or if you're easily spooked, the unwitting hero of a gothic horror movie) while encased inside its walls, and enjoy a picnic on the sprawling lawns in front of the property, as the guests of the house would have done back in the 18th-century. Parlour games anyone?
SLEEPS: 4 (1 twin, 1 double)
PRICE: £328 for 4 nights
WHERE: The Banqueting House, Gibside Park, Gateshead Road, Rowlands Gill, Newcastle upon Tyne NE16 6BG
Read more
Queen Anne’s Summer House, Old Warden
Queen Anne’s Summer House is like something out of a fairytale: the four-pillared property looks like a mini castle and is entirely surrounded by woodland. The folly is thought to date back to the 1700s, with historians believing it was built after Queen Anne knighted Samuel Ongley, who owned the estate at Old Warden, and used as a pavilion and summerhouse during the estate’s golden years.
There’s a lot to love about the Summer House’s interiors, from the vast, regal bedroom with its floor-to-ceiling windows to the stone spiral staircase leading down to the property’s star turn: a stylish green-painted bathroom with brick flooring and a standalone bath as the centrepiece. The minimalist kitchen – a cross between Scandi-chic and rural country in its appearance – is fitted with all the appliances needed to make home-cooking an easy option during your stay. Don’t miss out on spending some quality time on the rooftop, from where you can look out at the woodland which stretches in all directions and feel like the only person in the world.
SLEEPS: 2 (1 double)
PRICE: £323 for 4 nights
WHERE: Queen Anne’s Summer House, Shuttleworth, Old Warden, Biggleswade SG18 9FA
Read more
Kingswear Castle, Devon
Perched on craggy rocks with the sea almost lapping at the doors, Kingswear Castle looks like something out of a picture book. A stay here isn’t as treacherous as it sounds, though. The thick walls, low ceilings and tiny windows make the castle feel snug and sturdy once inside. It’s also a stone’s throw from the seaside town of Kingswear, meaning guests are close to all the amenities you’d expect from a more conventional stay.
The castle was completed in 1502 and fitted with guns in order to protect nearby Dartmouth – a short boat ride across the waters. From the rooftop – a sun terrace complete with deck chairs – guests can enjoy the novelty of raising and lowering the Union Jack flag (fitted in a bid to restore the castle authentically) at their leisure. The top of the castle is also the best place to enjoy calming views of the waters beneath as well as those of boats passing along the river.
SLEEPS: 4 (1 twin, 1 double)
PRICE: £658 for 4 nights
WHERE: Kingswear Castle, Kingswear, Dartmouth TQ6 0DX
Read more
Appleton Water Tower, Norfolk
Back in the late 1800s, Appleton Water Tower was where the royal family entertained guests for shooting parties or picnics while in Norfolk. The tower was built as a solution to the unsanitary water supplies in Sandringham, which nearly led to the death of Edward Prince of Wales when he contracted typhoid. It's said the young royals helped lay the foundation blocks of the tower.
Not only did the 32,000-gallon cast-iron tank that tops the 60-foot tower deliver the water pressure required, the upper levels provide breathtaking views of the Norfolk landscape, which guests can enjoy today much like the royals did in Victorian times.
SLEEPS: 4 (1 twin, 1 double)
PRICE: £530 for 4 nights
WHERE: Appleton Water Tower, King's Lynn, Elizabeth Bungalows, West Newton, King's Lynn PE31 6AY
Read more
Goddards, Surrey
If you’re planning a getaway with a large group and are looking to stay in fancy period lodgings, Goddards in Surrey is your answer. Built by Edwin Lutyens between 1898 and 1900, the property was one of the first to be designed in what is now considered ‘traditional Surrey style’. Embellished throughout with mock Tudor beams, Goddards boasts not one but several communal rooms, large bedrooms, a banquet hall and even a skittle alley – a restoration of the property’s original bowling alley.
In the courtyard garden outside, take one of the many paths and get lost in the gardens which surround the house, enjoying the bursts of flora and fauna popping up from whichever way you look. A bonus? You can get a Waitrose home delivery to Goddards, so you can enjoy a self-catered stay and make the most of the grand banquet hall.
SLEEPS: 12 (4 single, 3 double, 1 twin)
PRICE: £1,733 for 4 nights
WHERE: Goddards, Abinger Common, Abinger Lane, Abinger Common, Dorking RH5 6JJ
Read more
The Pigsty, Yorkshire
If someone told you six months ago that you’d be booking a stay in a former pigsty, you might have been a little alarmed. But that’s before you knew about The Pigsty: a converted pig hut fronted by Greek-inspired pillars. The eccentric-looking, single-storey landmark boasts vistas of tumbling fields and hedgerows rolling down towards the sea at Robin Hood’s Bay.
The Pigsty was commissioned by Squire Barry of Fyling Hall, who was said to have been inspired by the architecture he saw on his travels in the Mediterranean in the 1880s. Instead of turning his own home into a faux Greek temple though, he saved the wow-factor look for his pigs’ lodgings. Today, the Pigsty makes for a cosy place to stay with its wood-burning stove and plenty of books for company. From here, excursions can easily be made to the nearby seaside town of Whitby and the North Yorkshire Moors.
SLEEPS: 2 (1 double)
PRICE: £281 for 4 nights
WHERE: The Pigsty, Robin Hood’s Bay, North York Moors National Park, YO22 4QE
Read more
The China Tower, Devon
The China Tower on the Rolle Estate near Sidmouth, Devon, is a 19th century Gothic tower boasting some of the most eccentric interiors you’ll find on this list. Formerly the property of Devon aristocrats the Rolles family, the octagonal tower is kitted out with a blue-walled, purple-furnished living room, and an elegant spiral staircase leading up to both of its octagonal bedrooms.
The tower was bought by Lady Rolle, who named it in honour of the rich collection of china she kept on display there. Today, the pared-back kitchen still has a collection of chinaware on show (albeit a minimal one). Make your tea down here then take it up to enjoy on the tower’s own private roof terrace.
SLEEPS: 4 (1 twin, 1 double)
PRICE: £321 for 4 nights
WHERE: The China Town, Colaton Raleigh, Sidmouth EX10 0JB
Read more
Gothic Temple, Buckinghamshire
Set in one of the world's most famous landscape gardens, the Gothic Temple at Stowe offers a chance to live out your childhood dreams of being a princess in a castle. The temple was built in 1741 as a place of residence for Lord Cobham. From its gothic windows, guests can peer out onto the lakes and vast expanse of greenery, while a clearer, panoramic view can be enjoyed from the roof terrace.
Inside the temple, the circular rooms frame the central space: a stone-walled living room with bright purple furnishings, from where you can gaze up at the spectacular mosaic-studded dome of the ceiling. A spiral staircase leads up to the turrets which have converted into bedrooms and the bathroom, where you can lounge in true style in the free-standing bathtub.
SLEEPS: 4 (2 doubles)
PRICE: £623 for 4 nights
WHERE: Gothic Temple, Stowe, Buckingham MK18 5ED
Read more
Coed y Bleiddiau, Gwynedd
Step back in time through a stay at Coed y Bleiddiau railway cottage in Wales, set low into the mountain slope of Snowdonia National Park. Coed y Bleiddiau (meaning ‘wood of the wolves’) was built in 1863 for the railway Superintendent, T. Henry Hovenden. The cottage was used as an intermediate stop for those transporting Welsh slate by train. Today, not only do the lodgings provide a front row seat for watching steam trains chuff past, if you time it right, you can arrive on one too, alighting at the cottage’s own private platform.
Once settled, there’s plenty to explore close buy, including walks though the national park and bird watching. More of a homebird? Hunker down in the cottage's cosy surroundings and revel in its history as the former holiday home of the composer Sir Granville Bantock and later the Arabist Harry St. John ‘Jack’ Philby.
SLEEPS: 4
PRICE: £375 for 4 nights
WHERE: Coed-y-bleiddiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, LL41 3YT
Read more
