Photo: Eastnor Castle by Pauline Eccles, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
About this place
Eastnor Castle was designed by Robert Smirke in a Norman Revival style and built for John Cocks, who held the title of 2nd Baron Somers when construction began and was later elevated to 1st Earl Somers.
Construction ran from around 1811 to 1820, though sources vary slightly on the precise dates.
The castle sits in the Malvern Hills area of Herefordshire, surrounded by a large arboretum whose exotic trees were planted primarily during the Victorian era.
It remains in family ownership today, still held by descendants of the Somers Cocks family.
Inside, the Gothic drawing room was designed by A.W.N.
Pugin and executed by the Crace firm in 1849 to 1850, several decades after the castle was completed.
Plan your visit
Open on selected dates from Easter until the end of September; check the official website for specific dates.