Private tours of historic homes, beautiful gardens with talks and expert guides
A cultural holiday in rural Wiltshire.
Great houses, celebrated gardens and hidden antiques, discovered in a more private England. Walked in the company of your own expert host, with private cars and everything arranged.
Reserve your place'To walk through doors that are not usually opened, and to be received as a guest rather than a visitor. Every detail has been considered, so that nothing is required of you but the pleasure of being here.'
Your hostess on this journey, Natalia Rawley, studied history of art at the University of Edinburgh and now runs her own antiques business, nataliavioletantiques.com. She lives in the heart of Wiltshire, passionate about the very houses, gardens and dealers you will come to know, and will be at your side throughout.
Natalia Rawley
A world of British taste and accumulated history, where each piece carries the marks of the country houses, estates and generations it has passed through. Walk slowly with an expert at your side, and discover the treasures that wait in quiet corners: a hidden provenance, a perfect patina, a story that no label could ever tell.
Wiltshire has some of the most beautifully curated and expertly cared for gardens in England. At their June height, lakes, temples, grottos and ancient woodland come together in landscapes that were composed, planted and preserved over centuries to be wandered as works of art.
Unhurried mornings in houses where generations still live, where sunlight moves across worn floorboards and the scent of beeswax and old roses lingers in the hall. These are the visits that reveal a house slowly, through conversation, through small details, and through the quiet presence of the people who still call it home.
An intimate visit to Salisbury Plain among the standing stones, with a special access pass that carries you beyond the rope and into the circle itself. After the crowds have gone, the ancient stones are returned to stillness, and the centre of the circle becomes a place of quiet wonder.
Your English Country Home
Dating back to 1623, Teffont House sits at the heart of Teffont Evias, one of Wiltshire's prettiest villages, surrounded by the rolling landscapes of Cranborne Chase, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, just two hours from London.
Chosen for its character, warmth and unmistakable sense of place, it is somewhere to return to at the end of each day. Wander through quiet gardens, settle into a comfortable room, or enjoy a drink before dinner as the evening draws in.
There is no packing up each morning and moving on. Instead, there is the lovely familiarity of returning to the same place each evening. A favourite chair in the drawing room, a familiar face behind the bar, and the anticipation of a beautifully prepared dinner.
Mornings begin slowly, with a delicious breakfast and the promise of the day ahead. Evenings are for good food, good wine and conversation, sharing stories of the houses, gardens and discoveries encountered along the way.
Comfortable, elegant and full of English character, it is a place to settle into and make your own for a little while.
Not simply a place to stay, but part of the pleasure of being in England.
Arrival
Guests are picked up by private transport and driven through the English countryside to Wiltshire, where we shall be staying at 4* Teffont House Hotel, Teffont Evias.
The day is intentionally unhurried: rooms are ready whenever you arrive, and there is plenty of time to rest, settle in and recover from the journey.
This afternoon and evening are simply a chance to arrive, to be welcomed and to begin feeling at home. Welcome tea is served whenever you are ready; lunch, dinner and drinks on the day of arrival are not included, so guests may wish to make their own arrangements before joining us.
Over tea or later in the evening, we shall introduce the days ahead: the houses we have been invited into, the people we shall meet and a little of the history of this remarkable corner of England, and we shall gather informally for introductions in the evening.
The first evening is entirely at your own pace: settle in, rest, and let the journey begin gently.
Arrive at your own pace • Private transport • 4* Teffont House Hotel • Welcome tea • Evening at leisure
Day One
After a delicious breakfast, we set out for Stourhead Gardens for a tour of one of the most celebrated landscape gardens in England, where lake, temples and ancient woodland come together at their June height.
We then travel on to The Beckford Arms for a leisurely country lunch.
The afternoon takes us to Salisbury Cathedral, where our own guide leads us right up to the top of the celebrated spire, for a view over Wiltshire few visitors ever see.
We return through the countryside to dine at Teffont House.
Stourhead Gardens • Lunch at The Beckford Arms • Salisbury Cathedral • Spire tour • Dinner at Teffont House
Day Two
Breakfast is again served from eight until ten.
Promptly afterwards, we travel to the gardens of St Giles House, the home of Lord Shaftesbury, where we explore the parkland and grotto before being invited into the dining room to take lunch privately with the Earl of Shaftesbury himself.
We then make our way to Shaftesbury Hill, pausing to take in the view, before continuing on to two hidden antique shops, where many different dealers display their treasures.
Our host will be with you throughout the afternoon, and her knowledge of antiques, from silver and porcelain to country furniture and provenance, is always at hand; she is delighted to offer advice, whether you are buying or simply looking.
A traditional English tea follows at Compton McRae, after which we return back to the beautiful hotel to relax.
The day ends over dinner at The Compasses.
St Giles House gardens • Lunch • Shaftesbury Hill • Hidden antique shops • Traditional English tea • Dinner at The Compasses
Day Three
After breakfast, we travel to Wilton House and its gardens, where a knowledgeable guide will greet us for a private tour of the gardens before they open, followed by a delicious two-course lunch, after which the family who live there will show us Wilton House themselves.
We continue to Heale House Gardens, where the owner walks us through the garden and shares the story of how it has been planted and cared for, and here in the grounds we shall take a traditional English tea.
Later, we make our way to Stonehenge, where we gather within the stone circle itself for a private tour. In the evening, we go to the host's house to dine in her family home, where a knowledgeable archaeologist joins us for dinner to answer questions over the table.
Wilton House • Two-course lunch • Heale House Gardens • Stone circle • Supper at the host's house
Day Four
Today we become part of one of Wiltshire's most engaging cultural occasions: the Chalke Valley History Festival, a celebrated gathering of historians, writers and thinkers in the English countryside.
Rather than following a rigid programme, guests are invited to choose the talks and conversations that most interest them, from a programme bringing together distinguished historians, writers, broadcasters and thinkers.
At one o'clock, we reconvene for lunch together in the dining tent, before returning for the afternoon's talks.
Our final evening is deliberately convivial.
We return to Teffont House, where we dine together for our last evening.
A fitting end to several days of houses, gardens, history, conversation and rather good food.
History • Writers • Conversation • Lunch • Dinner at Teffont House
Departure
After breakfast, there is time for a leisurely morning before packing and beginning the journey home.
Six days offer only a glimpse.
There will always be another house behind another gate, another garden beyond another wall, another collection to discover, and another reason to return.
The English Drawing Room
The finer details
Our illustrated guest brochure brings together the houses, gardens, history and hospitality at the heart of this special Wiltshire journey.
Download the brochurePDF · 8 pages
The Package
20 June – 25 June 2027
Make an enquiry
Complete the form below and we shall reply within 48 hours.
Future dates
Further journeys are being arranged. The itineraries are not yet settled, so these dates are offered by invitation only, with no payment taken and nothing owed. Register your interest and you shall be written to first when the details are confirmed.
Each departure is limited to a small party. Itineraries follow the same character as the June 2027 journey: great houses, gardens, antiques and unhurried days.
Waiting list
No payment, no obligation, simply first refusal.