Have you heard of the The Landmark Trust? I’m always amazed at the number of people I come across who aren’t acquainted with this amazing organization. If you have, you’ll be nodding along smugly right about now, but if you haven’t, listen up: I’ve just found your new favourite way to vacation/staycation/whatever in the UK.
Essentially, the Landmark Trust is a charity that rescues at-risk buildings of historic or architectural interest, converts them into holiday lets, and charges you an arm and a leg to stay somewhere cold and draughty, possibly haunted, and with doors more suitable to midgets than average humans.
Contrary to how that might sound, it’s incredible. Staying in a sixteenth-century castle or a grand Georgian house is like stepping back in time, and the variety of the properties, from farmhouses to follies, means that there’s something for everyone. My parents are pretty smitten with the whole idea, and I’m pretty sure that between us, my family has stayed in close to 20 landmarks.
Decor-wise, these properties are all pretty much the same: skirted sofas, farmhouse tables, period paint colours and the trademark blue-and-white china in the kitchen. Not everyone’s jam, but beautiful for a holiday.
But not all Landmark Trust properties come in this charming brand of “old and stuffy.” Check out the recently renovated Astley Castle, which just won RIBA‘s annual Stirling Award for architecture:
Beautiful, right? This property is booked solid for the next year or so, but there are other great ones out there. The Trust also publishes a full-colour handbook which makes choosing your property a bit like shopping from a luxury catalogue, which is always fun.
Have you ever stayed in a property like this? Would you want to?