Historic Tea & Tour at Carlton Towers Estate

Nothing quite prepares you for your first experience at Carlton Towers. Hidden away in a quiet corner of rural Yorkshire, it combines history and beauty on an epic scale. Explore and discover one of Yorkshire's most stunning stately homes with our Historic Tea & Tours.

To reach this remarkable building you first pass through a stone gateway whose ornate pillars and wrought ironwork hints at the grandeur to come. As you travel along the elegant, tree-lined avenue, your final destination is still elusive. It is only as the driveway curves northwards that you are availed of your first glimpse of Carlton Towers. And that is the moment which takes your breath away.

The eyes fall first on that striking clock tower, which oversees the estate like an imperious owl. It peers above a line of arched windows topped by castle-like crenellations. Sitting proudly behind an immaculately manicured lawn, with a front entrance reached by broad stone steps, Carlton Towers is simply stunning. Mixing the grace of Downton Abbey with the magic of Hogwarts, it also possesses a sense of parliamentary splendour that comes from having been designed by an architect whose father designed the interior of the Palace of Westminster. All this comes together in a country house which is as thrilling as it is unique. And yet the most remarkable aspect of the Carlton experience is still to come.

Crossing the threshold, you enter an enchanting realm of wood-panelled drawing rooms and double-height picture galleries, all restored to their glorious best. But that isn’t what makes Carlton Towers truly special. You only discover that when crossing the threshold. For this isn’t so much a stately home, as it is simply a home. The home of Lord and Lady Gerald Fitzalan Howard who offer the warmest and friendliest welcome in Yorkshire. Their gift is to make everyone who comes to Carlton Towers feel like they are part of the family. Relaxing informality in the most elegant historic surroundings.

The Entrance Hall

The Minstrels Gallery

The Venetian Stateroom

What to expect: Take a step back in time and discover the rich history, interiors and stories of Carlton Towers. Be shown our Venetian State Room, Picture Gallery, Armoury, the unique ‘Priest’s Hiding Hole’ bedroom and more! Carlton Towers has been passed down entirely by inheritance and this is the perfect opportunity to find out about the fascinating family history that’s right on your door step. Afterwards, head back into our staterooms to enjoy a homemade scone, made by our in-house chefs, with a delicious cup of Yorkshire tea.

Tickets: Guided tour of the house followed by a Cream Tea set in the Staterooms (Tea and scone with jam and cream) - £23.50 per person, please make us aware of any dietaries upon booking.

Our Cancellation Policy: If you cancel more than two weeks before the tour is scheduled to take place, we will fully refund your ticket money excluding any phone booking fees. If it’s less than 14 days before a tour, for any reason, we regret that we cannot refund your ticket money unless we can resell your ticket(s). If we cancel at any time, we will fully refund your ticket money. Although we make every effort to avoid it, sometimes a tour has to be cancelled at short notice due to circumstances beyond our control. In this case, we cannot accept responsibility for, or refund, any consequential losses, such as money spent on travel or accommodation