Sulgrave Manor

The house sits behind iron gates on the edge of a village just outside Banbury, looking every bit the Tudor manor it claims to be. Sulgrave Manor is genuinely worth the short drive from town if you're into 16th-century domestic life and American history - this is where George Washington's family originated before they shipped out to Virginia. Walking through the rooms, you get a proper sense of how the gentry actually lived, not some dusty museum recreation. The furnishings feel lived-in, the staircases narrow and unexpected, the windows small and rattling.

It's ideal for history types and American visitors doing the ancestry trail, though children under about ten might find it a bit slow. Allow two hours if you're thorough, an hour if you're just after the main rooms. The gardens are pleasant rather than spectacular - a nice place to sit with a cup of tea after, but not a draw in themselves.

The manor works well as a half-day stop if you're staying at one of the nearby glamping sites. Glamping Thorpe is barely two miles away, and Jubilee Barn's closer to Silverstone if you're combining a racing circuit visit with something more cultural. Entry fees and opening hours shift seasonally, so check the website before you go - it's not the sort of place that's always open on a Sunday afternoon. The surrounding countryside is walkers' territory if you want to stretch your legs afterwards.