A very big house in the country

Three blooming properties in Kent showcase the original garden of England

What do an enigmatic Caped Crusader, a sopping-wet Mr Darcy and Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell have in common? Believe it or not, British country houses, says Ben Lerwill, as he set-jets around the countryside

Tucked in the Herefordshire countryside at Much Marcle, not far from its border with Gloucestershire, is Hellens Manor. Now presenting as a Tudor/Jacobean home, it predates those eras by some margin;

For 5000 years a boulder stood unremarked in a Dorset valley, until one summer day an archaeologist noticed something curious about it...

Wearing its heritage on its sleeve, this medieval castle has lived many lives, including a fortified castle, a Jacobean mansion and a comfortable Victorian family home

SOMERSET has always topped our list of favourite places. It never fails to impress, with lovely landscapes, history, quaint communities, drives through empty lanes and, of course, a wonderful stretch