Shugborough Estate — Attraction in Stafford

I knew nothing about this place (other than it might have a ghost) but was passing after a trip to Birmingham, and decided to make the most of my National Trust membership.

Arriving late in the day, a kind gentleman gave us a ride in his buggy (great start)

We trundled straight to the front door of the house.... bypassing the gardens and getting started with the good stuff.

The house itself was owned by a family obsessed with travel (and so I instantly found a deeper connection to them). Although I was rushing through each room before they closed, it was amazing to see all the artifacts that had been collected and I even got to spin a globe AND try on a hat!

Inside there was a giant map that filled one of the rooms. I was curious - and I often find- that if you lurk around long enough pretending to read the notes, somebody will eventually come over and engage with you.

Sure enough, within a few moments one of the trusts' guides came over and gave me more insight about the big map and told me a story about an incredible voyage across the ocean.

It was a good story and you may have seen already that I made a little video on it for the channel (Youtube - The Wanderlust Way)

After all this, you get to visit the private apartments of Patrick Lichfield. I had no clue who he was, but after roaming about his pad for a while, I learned he was an incredible photographer with close links to the Royal Family. Sadly we weren't allowed to take pictures in there....so no photos of photos if you understand (copyright and all that.....)

We didn't get to explore much else (other than the café, which I must say did a delicious chocolate chip cookie)

But overall it was worth visiting and I hope to return in the future, when I'm not in so much of a rush!

#nationaltrustmember #placestovisit...

See photos… Beautiful Nation Trust Shugborough Estate… Adults £14, children £7 (plus gift aid - see photo) Parking is on a field, it’s free to park - disabled parking available. To get to the mansion takes a 10 minute walk - a ‘bus’ is available to those who would be unable to manage this. By the parking is the walled garden & ‘woodland explore’ a play area. A small court yard is also close with a cafe & toilets, plus a gift shop & plant centre. Once at the mansion you can visit the accommodation of Lord Lichfield, as well the the main body of the house & servants quarters. The staff were attentive & interacted with the children & adults well - although there is a lot within the house the cannot be touched, (it’s clearly labelled), there are also lots of things that can the played with & touched for the children to experience also. There is a larger court yard behind with a beautiful 2nd hand book shop, gift shop, toilets & another cafe. The gardens behind the mansion are stunning - Chinese house is also beautiful. Most of the monuments/gardens & outhouses are close to each other - however there are miles of beautiful countryside to walk of you wanted. The plants, trees & flowers are beautiful & well cared for. We attended on a hot sunny day, not sure how it would present on wetter days - as stated above the walk from the parking to the mansion is about 10 minutes. Events often take place the Shrugborough so check the website before hand. Booking ahead wasn’t necessary...

One of the best National Trust properties.well worth the entry fee, which was something like £28 for two.

Plenty of free parking. Not too many disabled spaces, but if you tell the car park attendant they do their best to accommodate you closer to the entrance. The staff are helpful. As you enter, there is the walled garden full of various plants and flowers. I don’t think that you can enter the house, but it takes a while to walk around the gardens and woods.

Also, just through the entrance is a shuttle bus service for elderly and/or disabled. It drops you off near the servants quarters on the mansion. From here you can go into the tearoom, toilets, gift shop,and mansion. If you go into the side door of the mansion, you enter the apartment where lord lichfield lived and worked. No photography allowed in this part of the mansion as it displays a lot of lord lichfields photography, the licence to which is currently with Getty. This was probably my favourite section.

When you finish the apartment tour, you end up in the mansion foyer. You can take photographs in the rest of the house I think. There is lots to see: Grand rooms full of art and antique pieces. Many sculptures and carvings. A large library. When you’ve finished and exit the front of the house, even the house is impressive with its columns. If you go to the rear garden, the river runs past. Nice to relax for a while.

The tea rooms are great. There is plenty to do that I haven’t mentioned. Well...