With such rich history and culture, Britain is certainly not short of picture-perfect castles, manors, and halls to visit and explore. Home to such amazing architecture and design, the UK’s stately homes have so much to offer in the way of tourism and exciting day trips for families across the country; but which ones are the most popular? New research from windows and doors manufacturer Quickslide has revealed the most visited estates according to Instagram data as of February 2021, so let’s check out which took the top spots.
The top ten most popular UK stately homes according to Instagram are:
1. Buckingham Palace - 1.2m posts
Leading in popularity by a whopping 600k posts, the administrative headquarters of the monarch is unsurprisingly the most Instragrammed stately home in the UK. As the Royal Family’s most famous home, the palace is also one of Britain’s most iconic London focal points, drawing in over £3m paid admissions as of 2020[1].
2. Tower of London - 594k posts
In second place, the 900-year-old Tower of London houses the crown jewels as well as being infamous for holding many royal and notorious prisoners in the past, and has, over its time, been used as a royal residence, a prison, and an armoury to name a few!
3. Kensington Palace - 383k posts
Kensington Palace, as well as being a popular tourist destination, is the official residence of TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children. The palace has been home to royals for over 300 years and was the birthplace of Queen Victoria; it’s a great place to visit to explore the history of the royals through time.
4. Windsor Castle - 366k posts
With over 1,000 years of architectural history to discover, Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in Berkshire. The Queen herself regularly spends time here as it is her official residence and the largest occupied castle in the world.
5. Blenheim Palace - 157k posts
Located in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, Blenheim Palace is the only non-royal country house in England to hold the title of a palace. It is the seat of the Dukes of Marlborough and was the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill in 1874.
6. Hampton Court Palace - 135k posts
Hampton Court Palace is a Grade I listed royal palace in London built during King Henry VIII’s reign. The palace is now used as a stunning wedding venue and popular tourist destination with over 60 acres of magnificent gardens.
7. St Michael’s Mount - 108k posts
Located in Cornwall, St Michael’s mount is a tidal island 500 metres from the mainland. The stunning island is home to a castle and gardens with beautiful Victorian terraces.
8. Warwick Castle - 107k posts
This medieval castle was originally built by William the Conqueror during 1068. It was originally a wooden motte-and-bailey castle, which was rebuilt in the 12th century.
9. Chatsworth House - 106k posts
Chatsworth house is home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and has been home to the Cavendish family for 16 generations. This Peak District tourist trap is a brilliant day out for families to explore the house, gardens, farm, and playground, with a stunning Christmas market each Christmas taking over the grounds.
10. Leeds Castle - 101k posts
Located in Kent, this stately home has been the private property of six of England’s medieval queens and Henry VIII and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Today, visitors can explore the vast grounds, gardens and have a look inside the castle quarters.
Taking places ten to twenty, are:
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Castle Howard - 51k posts
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Sutton Park - 48k posts
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Highclere Castle - 46k posts
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Arundel Castle - 39k posts
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Waddesdon Manor 39k posts
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Hardwick Hall - 32k posts
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Temple Newsham - 30k posts
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Clarence house - 28k posts
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Knole - 27k posts
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Burghley House - 25k posts
Unsurprisingly, the country’s world-renowned royal abodes are the most tagged stately homes in the UK, with Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Kensington Palace, and Windsor Castle taking the top four spots, with Buckingham Palace having the most Instagram snaps and leading by a whopping 600k posts. The other top spots feature castles and houses with hundreds of years of history, land and stunning décor for tourists and selfie-lovers alike to explore.
Some honourable mentions that did not quite make the top 20 cut, include Harewood House with 24k posts, Belvoir Castle with 17k posts, and Ripley Castle and Gardens 10k posts.
Whichever stately home is on your list to visit once lockdown restrictions have been lifted, you’re certain to enjoy a day of exploring both the vast history and beauty that each of these estates across the country hold.
[1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/373081/uk-royal-tourism-admission-numbers-by-establishment/#:~:text=Windsor%20Castle%20and%20Frogmore%20House,Estate%20reached%20over%20three%20million.
This is a collaborative post with Quickslide.