Gibside

Another National Trust property and one which I visit quite often because this is really close to my house...about 5 minutes in the car. WHAT TO SEE... There's plenty to see and do if you enjoy country estates. There is a chapel which was built in the mid 1700s as a mausoleum for George Bowes, and this was apparantly in the Palladium style. If this means lots of pillars and something quite out of character based on where it is, and the other buildings round it, then I'll go with that. Leading from the chapel is a long wide grassy area, great for children to run about on , and this, not surprisingly is the Long walk which passes the ...  Read the complete review

One of the country's greatest 18th century landscapes, the Gibside Estate was created by the industrialist George Bowes(a coal baron and land owner who was a member of the Queen Mother's family, the Bowes-Lyons) from 1730. Now in the hands of the National Trust and currently in the midst of an extensive renovation programme, which will eventually see the impressive Orangery, built by the Countess of Strathmore between 1772 and 1774, restored to its former glory as a production centre for flowers and exotic fruits in addition to the refurbishment of the stables and the construction of accomodation for school groups, Gibside is situated a mere 6km south west of ...  Read the complete review