Longleat House

About

Set within 900 acres of ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped grounds; Longleat House is a stunning example of high Elizabethan architecture and one of the most beautiful stately homes, the first to be open to the public since 1949. Substantially completed by 1580 and now occupied by the 7th Marquess of Bath, this incredible house has now been called home by 16 generations of the Thynn family.

Expect to be wowed from the very first moment you enter Longleat House and are welcomed into the Great Hall. Adorned by giant paintings depicting hunting scenes and with walls stretching 35 feet up, you can see why this was the perfect place to host many a banquet.

You'll continue your journey through the House taking in libraries filled with over 40,000 books, a dining room laid out ready to host the next VIP guests and the Saloon stretching 90 feet long with its exquisite Flemish tapestries. Finish off by making your way down the Grand Staircase surrounded by an impressive collection of paintings.

Apart from the ancestral home, Longleat is also renowned for its Safari Park. Open in 1966, it was the first drive-through safari park outside of Africa and began a revolution in zoological collections that has since spread around the globe. For the first time animals were able to move freely across hundreds of acres of land and to interact naturally with each other.

The Safari Park will take you unbelievably close to animals you have only ever dreamed about. Look out for Longleat’s magnificent lions, see how you measure up to a giraffe, walk on the wild side with lemurs, and beware of the meddling monkeys in the Monkey Drive thru!

Continue your adventure aboard the Jungle Cruise for a sea lion escorted voyage and visit our band of gorillas. Find yourself going round in circles in the Longleat Hedge Maze and don’t forget to hop on baord the Longleat Railway.

Opening times for all attractions vary please visit our website www.longleat.co.uk for full details.

Accommodation: At Longleat Hotel - The Bath Arms.