Turning endangered structures into holiday escapes, the Landmark Trust is a lifeline for buildings under threat. Sophie Farrah checks in...
For six decades, the Landmark Trust has been quietly safeguarding Britain’s architectural soul, one extraordinary building at a time. Founded in 1965, the Maidenhead charity (landmarktrust.org.uk) rescues historic structures at risk, from Gothic follies to forgotten gatehouses, and gives them a second life as self-catering holiday hideaways.
Each stay is a chance to forget the ordinary and experience history from within. Here are five fabulous retreats with stories to tell...
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The Georgian House, Hampton Court Palace
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The Georgian House, Hampton Court Palace
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The Georgian House, Hampton Court Palace
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The Georgian House, Hampton Court Palace
The Georgian House, Hampton Court Palace
Staying within the grounds of a historic palace has a certain magic to it, and where could be more special than Hampton Court?
The Georgian House is an imposing 18th-century building tucked away down the alley that leads to Henry VIII’s real tennis court. Built in 1719 as a kitchen for George, Prince of Wales, it later became two separate homes for the Clerk of Works and the Gardener. Today, guests stay in the eastern half, with access to a private walled garden that catches the morning sun.
Now fully modernised, this handsome house sleeps eight in grand rooms full of historic charm and character. The attic floors offer stunning views over the palace roofs and their distinctive twisted brick chimneys, while the kitchen still features a vast blocked arch, which was once a royal cooking hearth.
Hampton Court Palace remains a thriving community behind the scenes, and staying at The Georgian House offers a glimpse of that private world. With access to the gardens, courtyards and public rooms during opening hours, this is a rare chance to experience palace life from the inside.
Four nights from £1,280, learn more.
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Hole Cottage, Cowden, Kent
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Hole Cottage, Cowden, Kent
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Hole Cottage, Cowden, Kent
Hole Cottage, Cowden, Kent
This chocolate-box cottage beside a small stream in a woodland clearing looks like something lifted from the pages of a fairytale. The surviving cross-wing of a late medieval, timber-framed hall house, it is all that remains after the rest of the house was demolished in 1833.
The surrounding woods were long worked by charcoal burners and bodgers (itinerant woodturners), and the Hole still evokes the historic feel of the Kent and Sussex Weald, where ironmasters once forged and fired.
Today, the cottage is an idyllic setting for a family break or a romantic escape for two. Inside, you’ll find a beautifully beamed double bedroom, a cosy bunk room and a woodburning stove ready for relaxed evenings by the crackle of the fire.
Four nights from £640, learn more.
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Oxenford Gatehouse, Elstead, Surrey
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Oxenford Gatehouse, Elstead, Surrey
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Oxenford Gatehouse, Elstead, Surrey
Oxenford Gatehouse, Elstead, Surrey
This 19th-century gatehouse was designed by one of Britain’s most influential architects, Augustus Pugin. Set on the edge of a working farm – known today as Oxenford Grange – and surrounded by several of Pugin’s other designs, it forms part of an impressive architectural ensemble.
In 1843, Lord Midleton invited Pugin to reimagine his Oxenford farm with a great barn, outbuildings and this gatehouse marking the entrance to his neighbouring Peper Harow estate. It gave Pugin the opportunity to recreate the sort of beautiful utilitarian buildings that he admired from the Middle Ages.
The result was some of his finest work. Peper Harow House was later divided into flats, but the gatehouse endured in the service of Oxenford Grange.
Sleeping four, the property boasts a wealth of Pugin details, along with a spiral staircase and an open fire. It’s historic yet comfortable, characterful without fuss, and offers the rare chance to spend time inside a building designed by the great Victorian architect himself.
Four nights from £460, learn more.
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Goddards, Abinger Common, Surrey
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Goddards, Abinger Common, Surrey
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Goddards, Abinger Common, Surrey
Goddards, Abinger Common, Surrey
Planning a group getaway? Goddards is hard to beat. Set on a small green at Abinger Common, it’s reached by winding, almost tunnel-like lanes through the woodland surrounding Leith Hill.
A masterpiece of the Arts and Crafts movement, the house was designed by Edwin Lutyens between 1898 and 1900 and extended in 1910.
It’s considered one of the architect’s most important early works, crafted in traditional Surrey style with beautiful gardens shaped by legendary horticulturist and garden designer Gertrude Jekyll.
Sleeping 12, the house enables groups of family or friends to enjoy a friendly match in the original indoor bowling alley, gather round the lengthy wooden table in the grand beamed dining room or simply relax by the roaring fire.
Four nights from £2,400, learn more.
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The Semaphore Tower, Chatley Heath, Surrey
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The Semaphore Tower, Chatley Heath, Surrey
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The Semaphore Tower, Chatley Heath, Surrey
The Semaphore Tower, Chatley Heath, Surrey
If you’re after good views, the Semaphore Tower, near Cobham, is for you. Built in 1822, this extraordinary military structure was commissioned in the aftermath of the Battle of Waterloo and is a rare survivor from the period. Grade II* listed, it is the only semaphore tower still standing in Britain.
Once at the cutting edge of communication technology, Chatley Heath formed a vital link in a signalling chain that transmitted messages from Admiralty House in London to Portsmouth docks in minutes.
Situated in 800 acres of peaceful nature reserve, and sleeping four, the tower boasts a double and a twin bedroom, two bathrooms, a cosy sitting room with a woodburning stove and a top-floor kitchen with treetop views. Refurbished semaphore machinery offers a fascinating glimpse into early engineering, while a roof terrace provides 360-degree panoramas across Chatley Heath and towards London.
