Longleat House was opened to the public in 1949 by its then owner, the 6th Marquess of Bath. It was the first English stately home to be opened and run on a commercial basis and, as a result, has remained under the ownership of the family who built it.
Longleat is considered one of the best examples of a High Elizabethan stately home in England today. The House is surrounded by 900 acres of landscaped parkland, designed in the 18th century by that garden fashion leader Capability Brown. Another 8,000 acres of woodland, lakes and farmland make up the estate.
The Longleat Estate also includes:
- The first drive-through Safari Park established outside of Africa
- Several challenging mazes including the Longleat Hedge Maze, the Blue Peter Maze (for children) and King Arthur's Mirror Maze
- A petting zoo
- An Adventure Castle
- Safari Boats
- Formal Gardens
- Several Exhibitions.
Images 1-5 of 5
 Longleat House - An Example of High Elizabethan Style |  The Great Hall at Longleat |  The Lower Dining Room |  The Grand Staircase at Longleat House |
 The Saloon at Longleat House |
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