Montacute House

Montacute House stands in the village of Montacute in South Somerset. It is a late Elizabethan mansion built of local Ham Hill stone. The house was designed in the late 16th century as the family home of Sir Edward Phelips, a lawyer and politician. He served as Speaker of the House of Commons and later as Master of the Rolls. The house was completed around 1601 and has remained largely unchanged since. Its east front is notable for Dutch gables decorated with stone animals. The house is worth visiting for its historical significance and architectural beauty. It is one of the few surviving prodigy houses from the Elizabethan era. The Long Gallery inside is the longest in England and now displays portraits on loan from the National Portrait Gallery. The gardens are recognised as a Grade I listed historic park. The house has also served as a filming location for several well-known productions. Visitors find a grand three-storey mansion with ornate interiors and fine architectural details. The Long Gallery stretches through much of the upper floor and hosts historical portraits. The gardens include follies that echo earlier fortified approaches. The surrounding parkland was once used by American soldiers before the Normandy landings. The house remains a fine example of the transition from medieval to Renaissance styles.