Broadlands

Broadlands is a Grade I-listed country house near Romsey in Hampshire’s Test Valley. Its gardens and landscape are Grade II* listed, recognising their historic importance. The estate traces its origins to Romsey Abbey before the Norman Conquest. After the Dissolution, it passed through several families, including the St Barbe and Sydenham families. In 1736, Henry Temple, 1st Viscount Palmerston, bought the estate and began reshaping its grounds. Capability Brown and Henry Holland later transformed it into the Palladian-style house seen today. The house is closely tied to British political history. It was the home of the 19th-century prime minister Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston. Later, it became the residence of William Cowper-Temple, who banned blood sports and hosted public prayer meetings. The estate passed through generations to Lord Louis Mountbatten, whose niece Edwina Ashley inherited it. Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip spent their honeymoon here in 1947, followed by Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1981. Visitors find a grand Palladian mansion set in sweeping gardens by Capability Brown. The house retains its historic interiors and landscaped grounds, with a gentle descent to the River Test. Guided tours reveal its political heritage and family connections. The estate remains the home of the Earl and Countess Mountbatten of Burma. Its grounds have also hosted major events, including a concert by Westlife in 2004.