Boughton House, Kettering: Hours, Address, Boughton House Reviews: 4/5
Boughton House
Boughton House
4
Sunday
13:00 - 17:00
About
One of Britain’s grandest and best-preserved stately homes with a fabulous art collection and a restored 18th-century designed landscape gardens, woodlands and a grand country park. It is open every Easter and August for guided tours and at other times of the year for special events. Groups can visit all year round by appointment. Boughton has some of the best-preserved baroque State Rooms in the British Isles. Here you can walk through grand apartments of contrasting character decorated in extravagant yet elegant taste with the finest artworks of the House’s golden era. Once you’ve had your tour of the House, you can step out into the surrounding country park. Its tranquil delights have been carefully restored over the last decade, and now there are wide sculptured lawns to survey, serene lakes, waterways, woods and avenues of trees to be strolled down.
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4.0
151 reviews
Excellent
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Very good
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Average
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Poor
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Terrible
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UKHec
Market Harborough, United Kingdom366 contributions
Jul 2021 • Couples
I always visit Boughton's gardens in August, and today must have been my 6th or 7th visit. The gardens today were noticeably more unkempt than in recent years, I assume they have got rid of some of the gardening staff. Orpheus is currently closed to the public for maintenance and you can no longer cross the lake by pontoon. The huge fountain in the étang wasn’t on either. There really isn’t much to Boughton and these three things being inoperative really took the shine of my visit.
Written 15 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
strudwick
Thirsk, UK178 contributions
Aug 2021
It seems to me that opening parts of the house to the general public must fit into the "necessary evil" category for the Duke and his family. I get that COVID has affected everything, but not sure that it is a good enough excuse for a very short tour of a very few rooms in the house. Whilst the guides were generally very pleasant and well meaning, they didn't seem to know an awful lot about the artwork and historical significance of many of the items on display. No self-guided tour facilities, no explanatory boards in the rooms, dimly lit, "don't touch anything as it's all alarmed!". Grounds were lovely, but again, not a lot of information provided.
Written 5 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
I am sorry that you did not enjoy your visit to Boughton.
I should point out that the Staterooms Tour includes 9 splendid rooms and each of them has several incredible treasures ranging from Van Dyck paintings to Boulle furniture, glorious 16th century tapestries and one of the finest armouries in the country.
As Boughton is a home not a museum we do not have interactive display boards or similar and we have removed room sheets due to COVID. The lighting level is to protect the pieces on display especially the renowned 16th and 17th century fabrics of the furniture and tapestries.
Written 6 August 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
grandaduncan
Corby, UK45 contributions
May 2021
A return visit to one of Northamptonshire's hidden gems.
As always the gardens and parkland were magnificent in the glorious May sunshine.
I look forward to a tour of the house once Covid restrictions allow.
As always the gardens and parkland were magnificent in the glorious May sunshine.
I look forward to a tour of the house once Covid restrictions allow.
Written 7 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you very much for the review and glad you enjoyed but did you mean to put one star for us?
best wishes
Written 10 June 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Georgina H
4 contributions
May 2021
I welcomed the opportunity go out and about again as restrictions are easing but after 18 months of full shielding it was so reassuring to see so many thoughtful safety measures in place but it felt supportive rather than invasive. We received an amazing welcome from the lovely young man in the courtyard who explained protocol but also the gardens, snacks, drinks available set the tone which was consistent throughout the visit. The gardens are well worth a visit for the variety of horticulture, what grabbed my imagination was the incorporation of meadow in a variety of settings, it inspired me in clearly a much, much smaller domestic plot. The walks were varied, my friend was no gardener but he loved the gardens. The afternoon was complete with delicious, local icecreams and a good cup of tea.
Written 6 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you very much for your review and glad you enjoyed your visit.
We look forward to welcoming you again.
best wishes
Written 7 June 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Not disclosed
126 contributions
Oct 2020
We had booked our visit via NGS website. We wandered through the main arch from the courtyard into the gardens. We wandered around the rose garden which still had some roses in flower. Then up to the lily pond and the walled gardens. Some stunning orange and red streaked dahlias, several different grasses, and salvias in flower. We saw some examples of bonsai and a stumpery. Then onto the landscaped parks, with beautiful vistas, a upturned pyramid made in a large grass mound, and a similar one sunken in the ground. On top of this a large lake, rill and avenues of trees in full autumn colours. Truly stunning.
Written 18 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you for your kind review.
We hope to see you again.
best wishes
Written 26 October 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
SKC04
Leicester, UK57 contributions
Sep 2020 • Friends
Visited the house with friends yesterday. The gardens, grounds and various features were excellent, this enjoyed further with a window of sunny, hot weather all with COVID measures.
Written 7 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you very much for your review and we hope to see you again.
best wishes
Written 7 September 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Choppy
Leicester, UK913 contributions
Aug 2020
We visited today and it was lovely weather. We parked up (on proper gravel parking so no worrying about your vehicle sinking into the muddy grass) and received a warm welcome from the receptionist who checked us in. We got ice creams for the children. The only bin we saw was outside the icecream store. Do take a plastic bag for your rubbish otherwise you end up carrying around sticky Icecream tubs around the estate unless you. We walked towards the triangular mound created over 200 years ago and Orpheus created last year. The aren’t any benches around the lakes area.
We later walked to the rose garden and were underwhelmed probably because it’s not real rose season and the windy wet weather doesn’t treat roses well. The walled garden was lovely. The children enjoyed sitting on the benches as their legs were tired from all the walking.
The house are gardens are well worth £14 for a family of two adults and two children even though we didn’t get to go inside the house itself. I paid £14 for myself last year when I visited Rockingham Castle in comparison this is very cheap.
I definitely recommend if you are in the area or visiting or staying near by. It could be improved for younger children if they had a playground.
We later walked to the rose garden and were underwhelmed probably because it’s not real rose season and the windy wet weather doesn’t treat roses well. The walled garden was lovely. The children enjoyed sitting on the benches as their legs were tired from all the walking.
The house are gardens are well worth £14 for a family of two adults and two children even though we didn’t get to go inside the house itself. I paid £14 for myself last year when I visited Rockingham Castle in comparison this is very cheap.
I definitely recommend if you are in the area or visiting or staying near by. It could be improved for younger children if they had a playground.
Written 24 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you very much for your review and I am very glad you enjoyed your visit.
Take care and we hope to see you again.
Charles Lister
Property Manager
Written 25 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Graham M
2 contributions
Aug 2020
Easy to book on line , and given a warm welcome on arrival.
The gardens and grounds are splendid, and it was a pleasure to picnic there.
We drove from Suffolk, and met family from Cheshire.....a good half way spot to meet, and we shall do it again!
The gardens and grounds are splendid, and it was a pleasure to picnic there.
We drove from Suffolk, and met family from Cheshire.....a good half way spot to meet, and we shall do it again!
Written 10 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Excellent thanks for taking the time to review us and glad you enjoyed your visit!
We hope to see you again
best wishes
Written 13 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
chris504019
Daventry, UK1,442 contributions
Sep 2019
this is a lovely house with a lot of history and well worth a visit. Being close to Daventry it made a nce afternoons outing
Written 6 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Sancha
2 contributions
Apr 2019 • Friends
I came to boughton house and look at the garden,s nick watts was very helpful and friendly with us will recommend to my friends and family to have lovey experience like I did.
Written 6 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you very much for your kind review
Written 7 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
nic2990cambsuk
melton mowbray40 contributions
Do you need to book a tour (using our Historic Houses membership) or is the house free flow? We ask as our toddler doesn’t stand around for long!
Charles L
Kettering, UK
Thank you for your question - the house is only free flow during the Easter/May BH openings - it is tour only in August. You do not need to book a tour but it is advisable if you want a particular time or tour - for more information please see the tours section of our website.
550charlotte
Kettering, UK13 contributions
Can you walk dogs here on the grounds?
Charles L
Kettering, UK
Thanks for the question, dogs are permitted in the grounds (but no the House gardens) during normal opening periods - so for 2019 this would be the Easter, late May and August openings.
for more information please see our website
best wishes
Can we have picnics there?
Charles L
Kettering, UK
Thanks for your enquiry - we have a number of lovely lawns where you can enjoy a picnic lunch but no specific picnic facilities.
best wishes
JASA
Market Harborough, UK7 contributions
Are the house and gardens wheelchair friendly?
Charles L
Kettering, UK
Dear Jyliet - Thank you for your email - the ground floor of the house and much of the gardens are accessible - for more information please see our website which has a comprehensive document on accessibility in the "Plan a Visit" section.
Do we have to pay in order to enter the house?
Charles L
Kettering, UK
Thank you for your enquiry - we do charge admission - full details can be found on our website:
House and Gardens
Includes access to the Gardens, Handel Exhibition and Armoury
Adults £10.00
Children (5 – 16) £8.00
Under 5 years FREE
Family (2A + 2C) £30.00
See all tour descriptions and prices here.
Gardens only
Includes access to the Handel Exhibition and Armoury
Adults £6.00
Children (5 – 16) £3.00
Under 5 years FREE
Family (2A + 2C) £14.00
Charlotte H
Northamptonshire, UK
Are dogs allowed on the grounds?
Charles L
Kettering, UK
Thanks for the question - Dogs are welcome in the parkland (not the gardens) but must be kept on leads as we have livestock including very young lambs.
Frequently Asked Questions about Boughton House
- Boughton House is open:
- Sun - Sun 13:00 - 17:00
- Hotels near Boughton House:
- (5.69 km) Swallows Rest Bed & Breakfast
- (5.59 km) Homefield Grange Retreat
- (4.40 km) Barton Hall Hotel
- (3.38 km) Holiday Inn Express Kettering, an IHG Hotel
- (11.78 km) 5 Chapel Street B&B
- Restaurants near Boughton House:
- (4.63 km) Kafe Bloc
- (4.65 km) The Old Forge
- (4.55 km) The Blitz Tea Room and Jazz Lounge
- (4.16 km) The Exotic Dining
- (6.46 km) The Olde Victoria