Built in the 1720s for Britain’s first Prime Minister, Houghton Hall is an grand Neo-Palladian country house, close to the Royal Sandringham House. The house has an impressive exterior.

But the interior is really spectacular. I’ve visited a lot of historic houses around the UK, and this had some of the lushest and most colourful decorations I’ve seen anywhere.

The ceilings in particular were fabulous.

The gardens are extensive and beautifully maintained.

They’re also filled with a wide range of sculptures, some temporary, some permanent.

To finish with one of the more unusual sights at a country house. The stable block is home to the Cholmondeley Collection of Model Soldiers. This was started in 1928 by the 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley, and at 20,000 figures is the largest private collection of model soldiers in the world.