The Landmark Trust

August 30, 2005 4:59 AM

The Landmark Trust.Ever wanted to stay somewhere with a little more class and history than the usual chain hotels? The landmark trust is a UK charity dedicated to restoring unique and historical buildings; they finance their work by renting them out to their members. While most of their buildings are scattered across the UK they also have four in Italy and four in New England, including Rudyard Kipling's personally designed house, Naulakha. In Florence, they have Robert and Elizabeth Browning's flat, though in Rome they only have the flat above the one in which Keats died (though it is nicely located at the Spanish steps). Unfortunately you have to pay to get the Handbook which shows all they have to offer, but featured buildings in their site include Fort Clonque, Swarkestone Pavilion and the Lutyens designed Goddards. Amongst their next goals; preventing the 1830 folly, Clavell Tower from falling into the sea. Nothing less than pr0n for the architecturally inclined.
posted by biffa (8 comments total)

Three in New England?
posted by ZenMasterThis at 5:39 AM on August 30, 2005

Hadn't noticed that, for some reason the Dutton Farmhouse isn't on the landmark USA list even though its available in the handbook (and the main website also says 4 in the USA).
posted by biffa at 5:48 AM on August 30, 2005

The prices for last minute bookings make this sound like a fantastic deal; are the standard prices similar to those?
posted by lowlife at 7:01 AM on August 30, 2005

What a coincidence -- I'm going on holiday next week, and staying in a Landmark Trust building.

The only drawback to staying in a Landmark is the dreaded 'logbook' in which you are invited to write an account of your holiday for the benefit of future visitors. This being England, the whole thing quickly turns into an exercise in upper-middle-class competitiveness. ('Julia and I and our three children, Rufus (8), Polly (6) and Isabel (4), have spent a relaxing (!!!) week rock-climbing, making music and playing Scrabble -- perfect weather, and what a joy to be without television for a whole week!! This evening we had a delicious supper of quail from the local game merchant (note to future Landmarkers: highly recommended!!) and summer pudding (Polly and Isabel picked the blackberries!) washed down with wine from a little village in Burgundy where we stayed last summer!')

Still, the Landmark Trust is a wonderful institution, and the Handbook, though expensive, is well worth buying if you have any interest in architecture. And the hearts of young fogies all over England will be beating a little faster at the news that The Grange will be available for holidays next year.

lowlife: prices vary enormously depending on the time of year -- expensive in peak holiday season, relatively cheap out of season. Many of the larger properties can accommodate eight or more people, and are priced accordingly: i.e. impossibly expensive if you go on your own, but very affordable if you go with friends and split the cost between you.
posted by verstegan at 7:50 AM on August 30, 2005

The prices for last minute bookings make this sound like a fantastic deal; are the standard prices similar to those?

It varies *a lot* with seasons. The Italian ones can be very steep in the summer, but aren't so bad at other times. In the UK prices mid-week in December/January can be ludicrously low except for xmas week when they go through the roof. I'm just about to book one for a party in December and it comes out to about £14pp/pn. The US ones tend to be less in the summer than the winter which I assume relates to winter sports. From memory Naulakha can be had for about £2000 a week in summer and sleeps 8, which isn't unreasonable I think. (I've got my heart set on it actually.)
posted by biffa at 8:03 AM on August 30, 2005

I've stayed in the Pineapple, which we used to cycle out to when I was a boy. It was slightly tatty, but to make such a complaint of a 250 year old, 100 foot high sandstone pineapple you can live in would be churlish.

Verstegan - you have a gift for distilling the essence of the breed that gets drawn to this type of thing. I've also stayed in Holiday Property Bond accommodation (a restored 14th Century schoolhouse south of Sienna, if you must know), which is similarly afflicted. The sound of mummies helping their darling 9 year olds to parse "The Hobbit" into gerunds around the pool put me right off my focaccia ...
posted by RichLyon at 12:28 PM on August 30, 2005

When I was writing a magazine story about James Boswell I was able to stay at his country estate in western Scotland, Auchinleck. The Trust had just finished a top-to-bottom restoration and after much wheedling the Trust let me stay there for one night between bookings. For this one night I had the entire mansion to myself, except for the groundskeeper, who had his own apartment in the basement. It was quite a cool experience. I spent most of the night reading in the library where Samuel Johnson and Boswell's father once had a terrific argument. I'd love to go back sometime and rent out the place with a bunch of friends.
posted by Man-Thing at 1:09 PM on August 30, 2005

The booking I've just made is actually my first. I look forward to the guest book, and am considering printing out verstegan's post to take with me in case inspiration fails me.
posted by biffa at 12:39 AM on August 31, 2005