England excels at numerous things, but there’s nothing it does better than a stately home. The stately homes of England are among the land's high-grade treasures. Generations of families have maintained them as storehouses of history, heritage and culture, with superb grounds and parks, and mythical art collections. Once the exclusive domain of wealthy aristocrats today, whether owned and run by the National Trust or in private hands, most can be visited by the world for at least part of the year. The number of  places to visit is huge, varied and all over the country. Some of these houses have roots as medieval castle s, while some were constructed from scratch during the height of the country house boom during the 18th century.

But which stately homes are at the top of the list?

Blenheim Palace:
A sumptuous gift from Queen Anne to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, in thanks for his victory at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. The extravagant house was designed by John Vanbrugh, and completed by Hawksmoor, with grounds by Capability Brown. Today the palace is still the home to the 11th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and Sir Winston Churchill was also born in the palace. It is set~ located } in 2100 acres of beautiful castle is encircled by sweeping lawns, award-winning gardens and the great lake. Blenheim Palace is a unique example of English Baroque architecture. It is located in Woodstock, just 8 miles from Oxford, the palace became a World Heritage site back in 1987.

Chatsworth:
The poshest of the posh, long-time ducal seat and one-time jail for Elizabeth I. One of the great treasure houses of England, Chatsworth is the estate of the Dukes of Devonshire. It was started as an Elizabethan residence by Bess of Hardwick in 1551, but it was rebuilt in 1686. A little later on came Chatsworth’s most renowned guest, Mary, Queen of Scots. She was imprisoned here under the guard of Bess’s fourth husband, the Earl of Shrewsbury.

Castle Howard:
It was the fantasy house in Brideshead Revisited. It is likely the top stately home to visit in Britain. John Vanbrugh designed this extraordinary baroque mansion for the 3rd Earl of Carlisle. One of the very first landscape gardens in England was built here, and there are paintings by Gainsborough and Rubens.

Hardwick Hall:
Hardwick Hall is one of Britain's finest Elizabethan houses built for Elizabeth, Dowager Countess of Shrewsbury, who moved in to her latest creation in October 1597. In the days when it was built, glass was a status symbol and the castle has more glass than walls. It was also built by Bess of Hardwick in the 1590s. No one has altered it since. Its big windows and high ceilings make it strikingly modern. Its six towers make a striking skyline.

Haddon Hall:
A medieval masterpiece that has not altered since the days of Henry VIII. Haddon Hall was in the first place owned by the descendants of William the Conqueror and date back to the 14th and 15th Centuries. It passed into the hands of the Manners family by marriage who later became the Dukes of Rutland. The 9th Duke of Rutland opened and restored the hall. It is famed because it is one the only fortified manor houses still around.

Calke Abbey:
Calke Abbey belonged to eccentric baronets who practically did not refurbish this stately home, but this country house was preserved in 20th-century decline. The place tells the tale of an eccentric family who amassed a big collection of secret treasures. In the walled gardens you can discover the orangery, the flower and kitchen gardens or stroll around the Calke Park National Nature Reserve. Calke Abbey is the second greatest home in Derbyshire, built in 1703 for Sir John Harpur to replace his Swarkestone home.

Most of these stately mansions are surrounded by small villages and cities which try to supply for the visitors and a numerous lodging. So it is pretty easy to find in England accommodation for your need.