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News
ABOVE: The gate entrance to Belton House. New leaflet is a passport to 'Hidden England'A new leaflet gives visitors a chance to uncover 'Hidden England' -- and pick
up a money-saving ‘passport' to 1,000 years of history and heritage into the
bargain. Two for the price of one entry plus a free copy of 'Hudson's Historic Family
Homes and Gardens from the Air' are on offer as part of the 'passport' to a
treasure trove of historic houses and rolling countryside. Bringing together five stunning historic houses, family days out, hotels and
places to eat, the new-look 'Hidden England' leaflet is an invitation to explore
an undiscovered part of England. At its heart is a group of five unique houses set in tranquil parklands and
ornate gardens. From an EnjoyEngland Excellence award-winning castle to one of England's
largest and grandest houses of the first Elizabethan age, the five properties of
'Hidden England' offer stunning architecture and a chance to see real life movie
and TV locations including Pride & Prejudice, The Da Vinci Code and the BBC's
Jane Eyre, all partly filmed at some of the five houses. But visitors can also find authentic hand-made foods such as the original
Melton Mowbray pork pies, intriguing gardens to explore and opportunities for
more energetic pursuits such as cycling around Rutland Water. And the leaflet doubles as a money-saving passport in which visitors buying a
full price entry ticket to any one of the five houses can get their ‘passport'
stamped -- entitling them to ‘two for the price of one' entry for the other four
houses. ‘Hidden England' straddles Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire and within less than an hour's drive from each other visitors can discover five properties. Belton House, one of the finest examples of Restoration country house
architecture with stunning interiors, important collections and 36 acres of
gardens, including a magnificent landscaped park and the largest children's
adventure playground in the National Trust. The house was used as a location for
the BBC's 2006 series Jane Eyre and for the 1995 TV version of Pride &
Prejudice. Belvoir Castle, the family home of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland with
spectacular views across the Vale of Belvoir houses an impressive collection of
period art and furniture with beautiful formal gardens and the Duchess's Spring
Gardens. Moviemakers filmed here for 2006's The Da Vinci Code and for The Young
Victoria, which is due out later this year. Burghley House, one of the largest and grandest houses of the first
Elizabethan age, Burghley has 18 state rooms, a huge collection of great works
of art as well as historic parkland, modern sculpture park and newly recreated
Tudor trick garden, the Garden of Surprises. Movie location for 2005's Pride &
Prejudice, 2006's The Da Vinci Code and 2007's The Golden Age. Grimsthorpe Castle, built for a visit by Henry VIII in 1541, the imposing
castle sits amongst rolling countryside surrounded by formal gardens, extensive
woodland and a 50-acre lake. Home to the same family for centuries, the Castle
houses fine furniture, paintings and tapestries while the 3,000 acre park has
changed little since the visit of King Henry VIII. Rockingham Castle, 2006 and 2007 EnjoyEngland national silver award winner
for best small visitor attraction with dramatic views over five counties, the
Castle was built by William the Conqueror. Surrounded by 18 acres of gardens it
was a royal residence for 450 years and remains a family home. Regular visitor
Charles Dickens based Chesney Wolds in Bleak House on Rockingham. Among partner attractions within ‘Hidden England' are Barnsdale Gardens,
built by Britain's best-loved television gardener Geoff Hamilton for BBC TV
garden programmes; Easton Walled Gardens, Lincolnshire's ‘lost gardens' hidden
away for half a century; Peterborough Cathedral, and the Nene Valley Railway. Copies of the new ‘Hidden England' leaflet are available from Tourist Information Centres and at each of the five ‘Hidden England' properties. Full details of all the houses,
events for 2008 as well as ideas of what else to do nearby and where to stay are
also available at www.hiddenengland.org. Photo: HiddenEngland.org / Belton House.
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