Heritage Open Days

Join us at Stowe as we open our doors for Heritage Open Day. With free entry across the estate, take this unique opportunity to explore 250 acres of monumental landscaped gardens, take a Vanbrugh300 tour of Stowe House where you can discover the fascinating architectural history of one of Britain’s finest hidden gems, visit Stowe Church and the Gothic Temple, normally an exclusive holiday cottage for the Landmark Trust.

Vanbrugh300 Walking Tour

Stowe House invites you to discover the legacy of Sir John Vanbrugh on a guided tour celebrating the Vanbrugh300 anniversary. These exclusive tours offer a rare opportunity to explore parts of the external estate campus not usually accessible to visitors, revealing hidden architectural details that contribute to Stowe’s extraordinary design and evolution.

Led by knowledgeable guides, they’ll uncover Vanbrugh’s influence on the estate, highlighting key architectural features while also exploring Stowe’s distinctive approach to commissioning designers, both historic and modern. Over time, this vision has created a rich layering of work by some of the most celebrated architects of the period, making Stowe a built record of evolving taste, ambition, and craftsmanship.

In keeping with the Heritage Open Days theme of “Everyday Histories,” the tours will also shine a light on the often overlooked spaces that supported daily life at Stowe, since Vanbrugh’s contribution was not limited to grand, theatrical statements. Visitors will gain insight into such workaday areas where the rhythms of everyday work once sustained the household.

Many of these spaces continue to serve essential functions today. Although adapted over time, they remain integral to the ongoing life of the estate, offering a fascinating connection between past and present. This perspective reveals not only how Stowe was designed to impress, but also how it was, and still is, built to function.

Essential Info

• As our building also serves a school and it’s term time, we’ll be offering tours only with limited numbers. You can pre-book online or arrive on the day with a first serve basis if there is availability
• This tour covers an extended distance (just under 1 mile), is predominantly outdoors, on even level surfaces. Wear comfy shoes and dress for the weather
• The tour will last approximately 60 minutes
• Please let us know of any accessibility needs to support your experience via: houseinfo@stowe.co.uk