A Little Curiosity
Floors Castle in Kelso is currently wrapped in scaffolding for a major restoration project, and the work is revealing details of how the castle was built. It's the largest inhabited castle in Scotland. How many windows does local legend say it has? Answer at the end.
THE ONE TO SEE
Sycamore Gap, Northumberland
Photo source: Sycamoregap, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Three years on from the night someone felled the tree at Sycamore Gap, the stump has put out a thick ring of new shoots, now two to three feet tall. The National Trust shared new images on the anniversary, and it's more than a curiosity: the tree is recovering, growing back from the base. The shoots are netted and fenced to protect them, so expect to see the stump from the path rather than get close. The gap in Hadrian's Wall is worth the walk regardless. The site sits along the B6318 in Northumberland, about 15 minutes on foot from the Steel Rigg car park (run by the National Park, so charges apply even to National Trust members).
Find it on the map → and see which other heritage sites are nearby
Discover More → on the official website
Four Worth the Drive
Conwy Castle, North Wales
Photo source: Stuhlfauth Thomas, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Edward I built Conwy Castle and its town walls between 1283 and 1287 as part of his ring of fortresses across North Wales. It is one of four castles UNESCO describes as the finest examples of late 13th and early 14th century military architecture in Europe. The walls are largely intact, the eight towers still stand, and you can walk much of the town walls, though one section is closed for safety works until about Easter 2027. It's a proper castle, not a ruin you have to squint at. Worth a full half-day.
Plan your drive → and see which other heritage sites are along the route
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Winkworth Arboretum, Surrey
Photo source: Margaret Anne Clarke from Hampshire, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Winkworth covers roughly 100 acres of hillside above a lake near Godalming, and October is when it earns its keep. The collection runs heavily to maples, rowans, and liquidambars, which means the colour change here is more considered than a random woodland walk: Wilfrid Fox planted it specifically for autumn, and it shows. The National Trust keeps it open year-round (check hours before you go), and adult entry is £15.
Plan your drive → and see which other heritage sites are along the route
Discover More → on the official website
Duff House, Banff
Source: James Moore, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Duff House is a William Adam baroque mansion, begun in 1735 and now run as a country house gallery in partnership with the National Galleries of Scotland, which means serious art in a serious building, well away from the Edinburgh crowds. A single Millais, "Sweetest eyes were ever seen", is on display on selected dates until September 2027, adding to a permanent collection that includes a Raeburn and an El Greco. The house itself is worth the visit on its own terms: Adam's exterior is one of the grandest things he built. In October it is open Friday to Sunday only, with a further closure on 16 October, so check before you go.
Plan your drive → and see which other heritage sites are along the route
Discover More → on the official website
Chedworth Roman Villa, Gloucestershire
Chedworth was discovered in 1864, and the traditional story is that a gamekeeper dug up some tesserae while looking for a lost ferret, which is still one of the better origin stories in British archaeology. What came out of the ground was one of the largest Roman villas in Britain, with two sets of bath houses, a water shrine, and some of the most impressive in-situ Roman mosaics in the country. The National Trust has it well set up for visits, with a modern cover building protecting the mosaics. It's in a quiet Cotswold valley and easy to combine with a walk.
Plan your drive → and see which other heritage sites are along the route
Discover More → on the official website
Hidden Gem
Goldsborough Hall, North Yorkshire
Photo source: Flamewire, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Goldsborough Hall is the sort of country house that is easy to miss even when you know the area. The privately owned Jacobean hall has around 400 years of history and was once home to Princess Mary, the only daughter of George V. The state rooms, parkland and gardens are normally experienced through stays, events and selected open days rather than a conventional daily visitor operation, which is part of the appeal. On 17 November there is a three-hour history tour taking in the state rooms, kitchen gardens, glasshouse and parkland, followed by cream tea. Tickets are £24.50. Historic Houses members get free entry to the gardens on open days, but not to the paid tour.
Discover More → on the official website
As Seen on Screen
Rainham Hall, London
Photo source: Max Naylor, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Rainham Hall has just had the big-screen treatment in the new 2026 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. Its Georgian interiors double as the London home of Mrs Jennings, played by Fiona Shaw. The National Trust has gone a step further and turned two of the rooms used for filming into a temporary exhibition, with costumes and props from the film alongside the story of how a working historic house becomes a film set. The exhibition runs until 19 December and is included with normal admission. The hall is open Thursday to Saturday on timed slots, so plan around those days.
Discover More → on the official website
Coming Up…
Apple Weekend, Penshurst Place
Penshurst Place is running its first-ever Apple Weekend on 17–18 October 2026, with apple pressing, tastings, and children's crafts set against gardens laid out in the 1560s, with records going back to 1346. There are over 130 apple trees in the grounds. Admission to the event is included with garden entry. Historic Houses members should check first, as free member entry normally excludes special events.
ScaresVille, Kentwell Hall
Kentwell Hall runs ScaresVille on selected nights between 15 and 31 October 2026, turning its Tudor moated manor into a Halloween event. Kentwell has been staging large-scale historical re-creations since the late 1970s, so they know how to use the space properly. It is genuinely frightening and not suitable for anyone under 14, so this one is for adults and teenagers rather than younger children. Booking is required, with tickets from £33.50. Historic Houses members may get discounted rather than free entry to special events.
Pumpkin Trail, Mapperton
Mapperton's Pippa and the Pumpkin Trail runs 25–31 October 2026, with children following a mapped trail through the Italianate terraced gardens to help Pippa the cat track down a missing pumpkin. It's £5 per child (one accompanying adult free per child, additional adults £7.50), and booking is encouraged. The gardens are normally closed on Fridays and Saturdays, so confirm with Mapperton if you plan to go on 30 or 31 October. They are worth the visit in their own right: they drop steeply down a coombe in a way that looks almost implausible.
Worth Knowing
Check how to register for National Trust parking
National Trust memberships, except Junior membership, include free parking at most places in the Trust’s care. Some car parks are run by other organisations, so charges can still apply.
Free parking may still need to be registered. Depending on the location, you may need to scan your membership card at a machine or register it through JustPark. Check the property’s parking information before travelling and follow the signs when you arrive.
What's new at Land & Legacy
Land & Legacy now has 454 live property pages, with recent additions including Soulton Hall, Sorn Castle and Smedmore House. The heritage map helps you explore places nearby and plan a route between them.
A Little Curiosity: The Answer
Local legend says Floors Castle has 365 windows, one for each day of the year, though the castle's own materials don't make that claim, so count at your own risk. What is documented is that William Playfair remodelled the castle from 1837 for the 6th Duke of Roxburghe, giving it the turrets, cupolas and pinnacles of its elaborate roofline.
That's it for this week. If you make it to Sycamore Gap this autumn, give yourself time at the gap: three years on, it is still growing.
About Us
Rob & Ali
We are Rob and Ali, two heritage enthusiasts who got tired of spending more time researching days out than actually enjoying them. Land & Legacy is our answer: a curated guide to the heritage experiences worth your time.
We are building something bigger behind the scenes, but for now this newsletter is our way of sharing what we find.
Hit reply if you have got a place we should know about.
Until next time,
Remembering the places that matter.