📍 Broadway
Snowshill Manor & Garden
Quirky National Trust manor near Broadway crammed with one collector's astonishing treasures.
✦ We visited
The room of samurai armour stopped our children dead, the whole house feels like a treasure hunt. Note the timed entry and the uphill walk from the car park.
Snowshill Manor near Broadway is one of the more unusual National Trust houses, the home of eccentric collector Charles Wade, who filled every room with an extraordinary jumble of objects from around the world. Think samurai armour, musical instruments, toys, clocks, bicycles and curiosities packed floor to ceiling. Children are often wide-eyed at the sheer strangeness and the famous room full of Japanese armour.
The approach is on foot through a hillside garden, an Arts and Crafts design of terraces, ponds and quiet corners that is lovely to explore. There are seasonal family trails, and the grounds and surrounding Cotswold countryside give space for a picnic. Entry to the manor is by timed ticket because the rooms are small, so it pays to plan around your slot.
It suits primary-age children and older, who get the most from the collections, more than toddlers. Pick a fine day for the walk up and the garden.
Good for: history, outdoors. Ages: 5–7, 8–11, 12+.
Good to know
What is special about Snowshill Manor?
It holds eccentric collector Charles Wade's huge and varied collection, including a striking room of samurai armour.
Do you need timed tickets for Snowshill Manor?
Yes, entry to the manor is by timed ticket because the rooms are small, so plan around your slot.
Is Snowshill Manor good for toddlers?
It suits primary-age children and older better, given the delicate collections and uphill walk.