Discover an array of architectural treasures in magnificent country houses, from the Gothic revival facade of Treberfydd to the Neoclassical Berrington Hall
Enjoy private guided tours at Hellens Manor and Llanvihangel Court
Be immersed in wonderful gardens, including those at High Glanau and Wyndcliffe Court, and take in the delightful landscape of the county
“Tour Director Oliver Gerrish was outstanding… He was very knowledgeable, a good communicator and added many personal touches”
– ACE customer on a previous country houses tour led by Oliver Gerrish
Along the Welsh border lies one of the most beautiful landscapes to be found in Britain, with small, hedgerow-lined fields interspersed with wooded areas. It is populated with many fine houses which will be the focus of our tour.
The charming manor at Hellens is one of the oldest dwellings in England; with foundations dating back to the 12th century, the property also features later Tudor, Jacobean and Georgian architecture. It contains artworks ranging from full-length portraits by Anthony van Dyck to exquisite miniatures by Nicholas Hilliard. The classical exterior of Berrington Hall conceals subtle and delicate interiors, with fine examples of French furniture and 18th century ceramics. Its parklands are designed in accordance with the principles of harmony and beauty so vital to Romanticism, offering sweeping views of the countryside, with meandering paths that lead to a walled flower garden and the picturesque Berrington pond.
Llanvihangel Court is a Tudor country house with medieval origins set in beautiful surroundings near the Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons. It is close to Llanover, where an elegant neoclassical house is surrounded by a listed historical garden with exquisite herbaceous borders.
Moving into the Victorian era, the remote countryside near Brecon is home to the Gothic Revival Treberfydd, while the magnificent Eastnor is a 19th century revival castle built for the 2nd Baron Somers and still inhabited by his descendants today.
The region also features some beautiful but contrasting 20th century gardens. 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. Several of the houses will welcome us privately, courtesy of their owners, some of whom will join us for guided tours or refreshments.
We will stay throughout at The Feathers Hotel, located in the historic town of Ledbury. Occupying a former 16th century coaching inn, its Tudor character is central to the hotel's charm. Iconic timbered façades and interiors seamlessly blend its original features with modern design and colour, altogether creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Oliver Gerrish
Oliver is an experienced tour leader who has written for Country Life and appeared in a number of BBC and ITV television series on architecture.
This tour will be led by Oliver Gerrish, MSt, an architectural historian who studied at the University of Cambridge. Oliver is an experienced tour leader who has written for Country Life and appeared in a number of BBC and ITV television series on architecture. He is the former chairman of The Young Georgians, the youth chapter of the Georgian Group, which he re-founded, and is also a trustee of the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust. Oliver has close family links with High Glanau in Herefordshire, and looks forward to introducing an ACE group to the area’s fine houses in summer 2026.
5
£1995
CHWB-26
