Bodmin, Cornwall PL30 5AD

One of the most fascinating and complete late 19th-century houses in England, Lanhydrock is full of period atmosphere. The gatehouse and north wing (with impressive 32yd-long gallery with plaster ceiling) survive intact from the 17th century, while the rest of the house was restored in 1881 to include the latest advances in country house planning, design and technology. The garden has a stunning collection of magnolias, rhododendrons and camellias, and offers fine colours right through into autumn. All this is set in a glorious estate of 364 hectares (900 acres) of woods and parkland running down to the River Fowey, with numerous footpaths.