Montague House

Montague House sits just outside Beccles, a proper slice of Norfolk heritage that doesn't get the crowds of grander estates. The building itself tells the story of how rural gentry lived - substantial without being flashy, practical rather than purely decorative. You get a genuine sense of life as it was lived here, which is worth more than gilded rooms pretending to be something they're not.

Historians and architecture types will find plenty to pick apart: the layout, the materials, the way it's been modified over centuries. It's the kind of place where you can actually imagine families moving through rooms, rather than just shuffling past velvet ropes. Families with kids who aren't exhausted by stately homes will find it manageable - no endless galleries to trudge through.

The location works brilliantly if you're basing yourself at one of the nearby campsites. The Wildings Elms Meadow is barely two miles away, and there's a cluster of glamping options round about - Dawn Chorus Holidays and Hidden Meadows both offer something more interesting than standard pitches. It's close enough to explore Beccles town itself, which has enough going on to fill a day without feeling like you're dragging yourself miles.

Before you visit, check current opening hours - details aren't always straightforward for smaller historic properties. Worth ringing ahead if you're making a special trip.