Broughton Castle

Believe it or not, you have seen Broughton Castle before, with it's deep orange stone, the crenellations, the moat, the topiary, the knights, swords and herbaceous borders. It’s appeared in film (Shakespeare In Love and many more), on television (Noel’s House Party), even in fiction (The Music Room). And rightly so. Built in 1300 and in the Fiennes family since 1451, Broughton Castle is awash with English history, glamour and tragedy. If you prefer a picnic to a stately home, you can look around the very manageable grounds, play hide-and-seek among the yews and admire the stunning planting. But the house is exciting too, for all ages, and its size is perfect for a couple of hours. There’s a rumour that the ‘fine lady upon a white horse’ of the nursery rhyme was originally a Fiennes lady – the place is only a couple of miles from Banbury Cross, after all. So saddle up your cock horse and enjoy an afternoon at one of England’s finest and relatively little-known castles.