Itinerary 2020

Great Heiresses How America saved the English country house and changed English society, taste and design

Cliveden House – purchased by William Waldorf Astor in 1893, and a centre of high society in the 1920s and 30s Photo House

Overview We explore the remarkable story of American investment at the end of the 19th century which saved many of the great country houses from financial ruin, and had a lasting impact on English society. American tycoons and ‘dollar princesses’ were part of this phenomenon, and by 1914 over 300 American heiresses had married into the British aristocracy.

We visit some of the glorious English country houses rescued or shaped by this wave of ‘Gilded Age’ investment, including , Highclere (the real Downton Abbey), Cliveden, and Leeds Castle.

On our journey we enjoy spectacular architecture, grand and extravagant design – and we discover the extraordinary life stories associated with the great estates, from railroad heiress Gloria Vanderbilt at Blenheim Palace, to Nancy Astor, the first woman to sit as a Member of Parliament.

UK Countryside Tours, Great Heiresses, How America Saved the English Country House www.ukcountrysidetours.com TEL: (604) 899-9249 or US Toll Free 1-855-900-9249 pg. 1 Highlights  Enjoy bespoke tours of great English country houses and gardens with American connections and world class historic treasures – from the magnificent State Rooms and Water Terraces at Blenheim Palace, to decadent and historic Cliveden, shaped by the Astors into a glittering society hub.  Explore the remarkable lives of the influential Americans who changed English life and style forever, such as Consuelo Vanderbilt, who left a gilded American childhood for a loveless marriage at Blenheim, and Nancy Lancaster, a renowned 20th century tastemaker who set the rules for the classic ‘English country- house look’.  Experience the best of English city and countryside, with two World Heritage Sites – historic Blenheim Palace and the perfect Georgian city of Bath - and the picturesque rural delights of the South Downs National Park and the Cotswolds.  As you travel you will enjoy the distinctive character and tastes of beautiful Southern , from Kentish wines in ‘the garden of England’ to a traditional Sally Lunn bun in historic Bath.  Throughout your journey you will be accompanied by expert guides or curators who can share their insights so that you can explore hidden histories, gain new perspectives and experience the best of each location.

Entry and departure points Heathrow Tour Director Helen Jackson: a professional curator and heritage advisor, Helen has previously held Chief Executive positions at the Campaign for National Parks, and Museums, Libraries and Archives South East where she led delivery of national accreditation and development programs to over 300 museums across the South East of England. As a heritage specialist she has a particular passion for England’s distinctive regional landscapes and their unique associated cultural heritage. She is currently a Secretary of State appointed member of the South Downs National Park, a member of the Heritage Lottery Fund’s South East of England Committee, and is a trustee of several museums, arts and wildlife charities.

UK Countryside Tours, Great Heiresses, How America Saved the English Country House www.ukcountrysidetours.com TEL: (604) 899-9249 or US Toll Free 1-855-900-9249 pg. 2 Outline Itinerary:

Day 1 Arrival Arrive London Heathrow, transfer to your hotel base.

Explore breath-taking moated Leeds Castle in Kent, ‘the loveliest castle in the world’, in an optional late afternoon visit. Once a royal palace, the 900 year-old castle was acquired in 1926 by an Anglo American heiress, and was restyled to become a centre of lavish hospitality for statesmen, film stars and royalty. In a private tour, see how Lady Baillie’s influence continues to bring the Castle’s state rooms to life, and discover the stories of the castle’s leading ladies.

Overnight in Kent

Day 2 Visit stunning Hever Castle, childhood home of , King Henry V11’s second wife, and bought in 1903 by William Waldorf Astor, then America’s richest man. Astor restored the castle, constructed the Astor Wing, and developed the lake and amazing gardens. Explore his vision and legacy with a bespoke tour.

Travel to West Dean in the South Downs National Park, an estate purchased in 1891 by the Anglo-American James family, who made it a favourite for royal hospitality. Discover the legacy of Edward James, a poet and Surrealist champion, and explore the beautiful estate and gardens, including the West Dean Tapestry Studios.

Overnight in Hampshire

Day 3 Travel west to explore the real Downton Abbey, set amidst 1,000 acres of spectacular parkland at Highclere Castle, one of England’s most beautiful Victorian . Home to the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, Highclere had its own American heiress to secure its fortune in Lady Almina, who married the 5th Earl in 1894, supporting his interest in Egyptology and his successful search for Tutankhamun’s tomb.

Continue to tranquil Jane Austen’s House Museum in rural Hampshire, and then to nearby Chawton House Library, former home of Jane’s brother Edward. In 1933 the derelict estate was saved by American philanthropist and entrepreneur Sandy Lerner, and now houses an internationally important library of early women’s writing.

Overnight in Hampshire

Day 4 Further west to visit to Highcliffe Castle, a Georgian mansion perched on the Dorset cliffs, tenanted from 1916 to 1922 by the retail entrepreneur Harry Gordon Selfridge. Learn about the huge castle Selfridge planned to build for his family nearby, before his fortunes changed.

Travel through the West Country to the historic city of Bath, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with time to explore the Georgian streets and elegant shops. In the late afternoon take a

UK Countryside Tours, Great Heiresses, How America Saved the English Country House www.ukcountrysidetours.com TEL: (604) 899-9249 or US Toll Free 1-855-900-9249 pg. 3 bespoke tour of the American Museum in Britain, the UK’s only museum of American decorative and folk art, at historic Claverton Manor.

Overnight in Bath

Day 5 Journey to the glorious Oxfordshire Cotswolds to visit Ditchley Park, an 18th century house redecorated from 1933 by American Nancy Lancaster. Nancy became a celebrated interior designer, with the reputation for ‘having the finest taste of almost anyone in the world’,

Discover the rich and decadent history of palatial Cliveden House in in an afternoon private tour. Built in 1666 and purchased in 1893 by William Waldorf Astor, the remodelled house and estate became the centre of high society in the following decades, thanks to his son and his daughter in law, Nancy Astor. Follow in the footsteps of Cliveden’s famous visitors including royalty, Charlie Chaplin, George Bernard Shaw and the Beatles.

Overnight in the Cotswolds

Day 6

Enjoy one of the country’s greatest gardens at Hidcote in the Cotswolds. an arts and crafts masterpiece created by the talented American horticulturalist Major Lawrence Johnston. Johnston’s mother bought Hidcote in 1907.

Explore Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, a stately home of staggering beauty and treasures, also the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover the colourful story of the Vanderbilt heiress who married the 9th Duke of Marlborough in 1895, and explore the magnificent estate that the Vanderbilt funds helped to restore, with some of its current conservation projects.

Overnight in the Cotswolds

Day 7 Return transfer to Heathrow airport and depart.

Activity level

This tour has been assessed as Moderately Active.

Mildly active (meaning getting on and off the coach and walking a short distance on well surfaced paths)

Moderately active (meaning walking in the countryside / parkland estate of a country estate – walking moderate distances on unsurfaced paths)

Active – walking up hills, or destinations involving lots of steps, uneven surfaces, sturdy shoes

UK Countryside Tours, Great Heiresses, How America Saved the English Country House www.ukcountrysidetours.com TEL: (604) 899-9249 or US Toll Free 1-855-900-9249 pg. 4 For further information

Please enquire for pre- or post-tour extension options. For further information contact UK Countryside Tours [email protected] or TEL: (604) 899-9249 or US Toll Free 1-855-900-9249

UK Countryside Tours, Great Heiresses, How America Saved the English Country House www.ukcountrysidetours.com TEL: (604) 899-9249 or US Toll Free 1-855-900-9249 pg. 5