Kingston Lacy is located in Dorset and is a great place to visit for a day, especially if the weather is good. This is a country house which was home of the Bankes family for over 300 years, after their home at Corfe Castle was destroyed… click here to read more about Corfe Castle which is not too far away and also worth a visit!
The Kingston Lacy estate
The cafe
To get to Kingston Lacey, we found it best to follow the B3082 road to the main entrance which is signposted- you should then reach the car park which is free for National Trust members, otherwise there is a fee- see here for more details on parking and admission prices and visiting.
Near the ticket desk, there is a cafe, a shop, and a short walk away, you can also find the entrance to the house, and all the various trails and walks.
Fields and footpaths
The house itself is spectacular- the Bankes family created somewhat of an Italian Palace, with an incredible art collection, ranging from Reuben to Titian, marble statues, marble carvings and more- as you can see from our photos.
Due to Covid, there was a one way route in operation and some rooms were closed, but the route that was available still gave us a very good idea of just how lavish the house was. One example is the Spanish room- with a Venetian ceiling, stunning artwork and even carved marble chimney pieces. To see more photos and read more see here.
Statue of Lady Bankes
Artwork and paintings
Some of the rooms at the estate
Statue of King Charles I
Egyptian Antiquities
As well as the house, Kingston Lacey offers much more- huge lawns to walk around, a number of gardens including a Japanese and Kitchen Garden, woodland trails, parkland. The map of the estate (see here) shows the various trails, as well as the distance and suitability/ease of access- so there is something for everyone.
We chose a trail that took us through some of the wooded area, the Japanese gardens, and with views of the lawns and the Obelisk- there were many spots for having a picnic, and families were playing sport, reading, relaxing- so you can easily spend a whole day here it seems! The National trust also has a list and maps of a dozen various walks which take you through the estate- see here for more details.
Japanese Maple in the gardens
The Japanese Garden
We would highly recommend a trip here, and also the nearby Corfe Castle. If you’re wondering what else to do in Dorset, check out our main blog post here…
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