Houses & Gardens of Herefordshire & the Welsh Borders

Along the Welsh Border lies one of the most gentle and beautiful landscapes to be found in Britain. Hedgerow-lined fields are small and interspersed with wooded areas. It is hard to believe this peaceful region ever witnessed turbulent times, though surviving castles suggest otherwise. Although we will visit the mildly defensive Manor House at Stokesay, our tour will predominantly focus upon the fine architectural and horticultural products of a settled area of countryside. 

Much of our tour will be spent at private country houses and gardens, viewing buildings dating from the 16th century onwards. The beautiful manor at Hellens is one of the oldest dwellings in England, with foundations dating from the 12th century, and also featuring later Tudor, Jacobean and Georgian architecture. Llanvihangel Court, meanwhile, is a Tudor country house with medieval origins set in beautiful surroundings near the Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons.

We will visit two major houses dating from the Victorian era: Gothic Revival Treberfydd is located in remote countryside near Brecon, and Stokesay Court – which was used as the setting for the film Atonement – contains a virtually untouched late Victorian interior.

We will visit three contrasting 20th century gardens, each highly detailed and in immaculate order. High Glanau was created before the First World War by H Avray Tipping, Architectural Editor of Country Life and highly adept garden designer whose work also includes the garden at Chequers. Sir Roy Strong’s innovative, complex and entertaining garden at The Laskett is very much a living garden, whilst the huge garden at Hampton Court Castle is a modern masterpiece, spilling out of two walled enclosures.

The area is also rich in churches dating from the first half of the 12th century: the time of the so-called Hereford School of Carvers. Besides the familiar dogtooth and chevron carving is much Christian symbolism. We will also visit Hereford Cathedral, with its Norman enrichments, and Ludlow, where we will glimpse the imposing castle ruins and walk along streets lined with fine Georgian-fronted houses.

The tour will be based at the historical three-star Green Dragon Hotel, located in the heart of Hereford and recently refurbished. 

The tour will be led by Jeffrey Haworth, an architect for historical buildings who spent over 20 years working for the National Trust as a Historic Buildings Representative and subsequently as a curator. Jeffrey was also Founder-Chairman of the Hereford and Worcester Gardens Trust.