An English country house is usually a large mansion located in the English countryside and owned by an English aristocrat or upper-class landed gentry.
Most country houses were built between the 16th century and 1914.
English country houses are made of local materials such as stone, rock, and red brick.
They are usually built to be very spacious and the interiors are decorated in a lovely and warm way.
As a result, they are still very desirable and comfortable to this day, as if they knew the day they were built that they would be loved today.
At the same time, English country houses are now an important work for many rural communities, with large numbers of indoor and outdoor staff.
They can also serve as sojourn hotels to meet the needs of owners who travel frequently between urban and rural homes.
Let's take a tour of these beautiful country houses.
1. Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace is designed in a rare English Baroque style.
It is currently a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only non-royal, non-bishop-shaped English country house in England to hold the title of palace.
Blenheim Palace was built between 1705 and 1733.
It was originally a gift from Queen Anne to John Churchill.
But before the completion of Blenheim Palace, political intrigues between Marlborough and Queen Anne forced the Duke and Duchess to leave England.
And, on the day of Queen Anne's death, In Marlborough regained the favor of the royal family under King George of England and moved into Blenheim Palace in 1719.
2. Burleigh Cottage
Burleigh Cottage is one of the leading examples of 16th-century English Elizabethan architecture.
These lavish English country houses were often built by courtiers and other wealthy families to accommodate Elizabeth and her retinue while she traveled.
The famous 18th-century English landscape architect designed Villa Burley's entrance avenue and a 26-acre man-made lake.
Villa Burley has 35 large rooms, more than 80 smaller rooms, and numerous halls, apartments, corridors, and bathrooms.
Villa Burley's virtually unchanged Elizabethan exterior and historic interiors make it an ideal location for filming.
3. Castle Howard
Beginning in 1699, the construction period for Castle Howard spanned more than 100 years.
Although Castle Howard is not a real castle, the term Castle Howard is commonly used by the English to describe an English country house built on the site of a military fortress.
It is also a richly decorated Baroque building. With 145 rooms, Castle Howard is also one of the large English country houses.
4. Chatsworth Manor
Chatsworth Manor is regularly included in lists of popular English country houses.
Chatsworth Manor has been the family home of the Cavendish family, one of the wealthy aristocratic families of England, since the 16th century.
The 6th Duke of Cavendish had an eight-acre lake purposely built, the highest fountain in the world at the time, reaching a height of nearly 300 feet.
These various English country houses are distinctive in style and pleasing to the eye.
Must visit when you have the opportunity.
