Chastleton House, only a few miles from Chipping Norton, differs from the usual buffed and polished National Trust properties. Thanks to a history of family poverty, the house has remained essentially unchanged for nearly 400 years, growing shabbier each year, and is now preserved in a state of fixed decay.

That’s not to say it lacks the bones of its former Jacobean glamour: whopper fireplaces, oak-panelled walls, a secret room, and an incredible view from the Long Gallery on the top floor are all still there to admire. The gardens are lush and pretty (with opportunity for croquet, if you’re that way inclined), while maintaining the overall effect of what the National Trust describes as ‘romantic neglect’. Children can be well entertained with an impressively engaging activity pack, and although there is no café on site, the church next door serves refreshments on the days Chastleton is open.