Tabley House near Knutsford shines a light on its Grand Tour patron

Just outside Knutsford, Tabley House is home to a remarkable collection of art and furniture. In 2026 the Grade I listed stately home gave regulars a fresh reason to return, with new displays devoted to the man who once owned it.

Following on from its TURNER 250 programme, Tabley has been exploring further the story of Sir John Leicester, the painter's patron, who owned the estate from 1770 to 1827. The new displays illustrate Sir John's own artistic work, including sketches made as a young man during his Grand Tour of Europe.

They sit alongside the collection that draws visitors in the first place. The state rooms hold art, furniture and memorabilia linked to the Leicester family, whose former seat this was, and visitors hear about the family's intriguing history along the way, with one visitor quoted on the website praising the band of friendly and well informed volunteers. The house is owned by the University of Manchester, with the collection managed on its behalf by the Tabley House Collection Trust.

In May the house joined the Knutsford Voucher scheme, which means the town's gift voucher can now be used to explore the state rooms and visit the chapel. The scheme launched in 2020 and has grown to include nearly 60 businesses, with all of the value staying in the local economy. Gill Dent, collections manager for the Tabley House Collection, said the team was absolutely delighted to join.

September brought another highlight when Tabley opened its collection for Heritage Open Days, this time focusing on the lives of the servants who worked at the house and estate. It formed part of Knutsford's biggest Heritage Open Days programme to date, with 17 events over ten days, and the tearoom and chapel were open throughout.

St Peter's Chapel is a story in itself. Built in 1678 on an island in the Mere, it was moved in 1927 and re-erected on its present site next to the house. Inside is impressive stained glass, including a window designed by Burne-Jones, and the chapel was recently used for an important wedding scene in the BBC's Peaky Blinders.

The Tabley Tea Room, in the Old Hall Room, links the house to the chapel and serves light refreshments, sandwiches, cakes and afternoon teas with waitress service at the table.

The collection is cared for by a charitable trust, and opening times, events and details of the volunteering and Friends programmes are on the Tabley House website, making it well worth bookmarking ahead of the next season.