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Period buildings are loved by Brits, there’s no doubt about that. One-fifth of us find the ideal property to be characterful with traditional aesthetics – and there’s more out there than you think. In fact, more than one in five buildings are listed as period properties.
Period properties are often heritage properties, buildings which are protected for their cultural significance and striking beauty. Visits to these properties have still not returned to pre-pandemic levels, sitting at 5.5m visits in 2023 compared to 6.24m in 2019. With so many beautiful buildings only a car journey or train ride away, we wanted to highlight the most popular and famous homes to visit during the holidays.
Here, heritage design specialists The Heritage Window Company have scoured Instagram to find the most beautiful and unique of the 256,000 #periodhomesofinsta in the UK to visit in 2024.
The Royal Crescent, Bath (6.5k posts)
The Royal Crescent in Bath is a semicircular period building so beautiful that it’s been a filming location for multiple period dramas, including Bridgerton and Persuasion. Built 1767-1774 by John Wood the Younger, this stretch of 30 terraced houses included both full homes and apartments.
Now and again, although rare, these flats and houses come on the market. They are worth a pretty penny, but there are no surprises there considering how iconic this spot has become. The green outside has become a prime location for many an Instagram post, as can be seen below. We expect nothing less from a UNESCO World Heritage city – there’s much to be admired by its striking Georgian architecture and rich heritage design.
Forty Hall, Enfield (23.6k posts)
This Grade I-listed manor house is a standing monument to heritage aesthetics, kept in its original design and grandeur but repurposed for the modern day by hosting weddings and art exhibitions. Originally owned by Sir Nicholas Rainton, the frontage of this country house is covered in tall sash windows – an iconic feature of heritage aesthetics that you see recreated in homes to this day.
These windows onlooking the pond make for a stunning backdrop that visitors love to shout about on Instagram. In total, visitors have posted 23,600 images of and inside this beautiful period home and we can understand the infatuation.
Brantwood House and Gardens, Brantwood (228 posts)
Another home steeped in illustrious heritage, Brantwood House is the former home of Victorian writer, artist and social reformer, John Ruskin. Connected to whimsical woodland trails and a stunning garden, this property was originally built in 1797 as an eight-room cottage before being bought and renovated by Ruskin in 1851.
Now a museum, visitors’ accommodation and garden, this property is breathtaking to tour. It has maintained its original sash window fittings, period features and even Ruskin’s bedroom!
If you love a period property nestled in nature, this building is a must-visit – especially for colourful snaps of the gardens for your Instagram feed.
Cardinal’s Hat, Lincoln (1k+ posts)
This hidden gem is tucked away at the bottom of Steep Hill in the city of Lincoln. A 15th century three-story townhouse with stunning original features, this charming Tudor house leans out over the busy streets of Lincoln to maximise street space. People-watching from the upper-floor windows is a treat for any fan of period architecture. Tudor homes used windows as a reflection of class status – the larger the window, the more affluent the owner – and these beautiful windows are wide and varied.
You can use that fun fact to impress your friends and family over a pint, as the building has now been converted into an equally charming pub!
The building was thought to be named after Cardinal Wolsey, the former bishop of Lincoln. As it has been converted into a pub, this stunning period property makes for the perfect foodie x period home Instagram post – a combination which many on the app have already twigged, if the tagged posts are anything to go by!
Great Dixter Gardens, near Rye (102k Instagram followers)
A loved historic house and gardens, Great Dixter has become a place of pilgrimage for horticulturalists all around the world. Because of this, the gardens have become renowned as one of the best-kept in England, and quite possibly Europe.
Originally the home of gardener Christopher Lloyd, this period house and its grounds became the focus of his writing which contributed to 40 years of books and works.
Great Dixter is made up of three houses, each as stunning as the last. The first was built in the mid-15th century, the second in the 16th and the third in 1912 – making the estate a combination of three unique properties and an extensive garden.
The garden has become so popular that it has amassed a huge 102,000 followers on their official Instagram, @greatdixterofficial.
The solar, parlour and great hall are not to be missed – and thankfully you can book house tours from March onward.
Will you be visiting any of these picturesque period properties? If you do, be sure to leave your mark on social media history with a tag and a location pin. In the UK, we are lucky to have so many stunners in our own back garden, so get out and get exploring!
