Gatcombe Park

Gatcombe Park is a country house between the villages of Minchinhampton and Avening in Gloucestershire. Built in the 1770s and rebuilt in the 1820s by George Basevi for economist David Ricardo, it has been home to Anne, Princess Royal, since 1976. The house is Grade II* listed and sits on an estate that once formed part of the manors of Minchinhampton and Avening. The grounds include woodlands, a lake with brown trout, and extensive stabling for horses. The estate was enlarged in 1978 with the purchase of Aston Farm to the east. The house is worth visiting for its connections to notable figures. David Ricardo, a renowned economist, owned the estate in the 19th century. Later, it was home to Lord Butler of Saffron Walden, a former Home Secretary, and art collector Samuel Courtauld. The estate has also been linked to royalty, with Highgrove House, the country residence of King Charles III, located nearby. Gatcombe Park is known for hosting the Festival of British Eventing, attracting top equestrian Olympians and over 40,000 spectators each year. Visitors to Gatcombe Park find a Grade II* listed country house with five main bedrooms, four secondary bedrooms, and four reception rooms. The grounds include a library, a billiard room, and a conservatory, as well as staff accommodation. The estate features steep-sloping parkland, a lake, and extensive woodlands. The Festival of British Eventing is held over the first weekend in August, with two smaller horse trials in spring and autumn. A biannual craft fair with around 160 exhibitors takes place in May and October.