Whittington Court, Gloucestershire, England

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Richard Cotton built this Tudor manor house for his family in the 16th century. It’s now owned by Jenny Stringer and has a collection of artefacts and centuries-old art.

Whittington Court was built in 1545 by Richard Cotton, and was an important place in its time; it’s where Queen Elizabeth stayed in 1592 as she travelled through Gloucestershire. The huge Jacobean fireplace in the library is a marker of its Tudor heritage, but other members of the Cotton family added their own touch to the building over the years, including the east wing in the 17th century and the kitchen in the 19th century. Jenny Stringer inherited the house from a friend of her mother’s in the 1980s and has worked hard to restore it and the surrounding farmers’ cottages. She has a printing studio in the attic, where she runs her block printing business. But the rest of the house, too, has been decorated with equal care, holding a significant collection of glass, ceramics, fossils and minerals. You’ll find Egyptian artefacts there too and a collection of books by The Whittington Press, a monotype printing press which prints illustrated books and wood-engravings.

On your way out, make sure to have a look around the gardens, the 17th-century Tithe Barn and St Bartholomew’s Church, which has been on site since the 12th century and is attached to the house.

Don't miss our interview with Jenny Stringer, current owner of Whittington Court.