A shot of the Knowsley Morning Room. The Knowsley Hall walled estate is set within 2,500 acres with garden and lake views. Guests can visit the historic Potato Pie House, the Canadian log cabin gifted to Lord Stanley. (Photos courtesy of Storied Collection)
Lord of the manor is a familiar phrase in high society, but did you know that there’s a significant hockey connection to the aristocracy? Hockey’s grandest trophy, the Stanley Cup, originally known as Lord Stanley’s Mug, was named after its benefactor, Lord Frederick Stanley, whose ancestors currently live in a lavish stately home in the English countryside with more wings than you can shake a stick at! Truth be told, you could be dreaming of the next big Stanley Cup win while ensconced in the grandeur of your elegant master suite on the estate. Top shelf, indeed.
Maybe you’re a fan of “Downton Abbey“, “The Crown”, “Bridgerton” or “The Gilded Age”? The opulent castles, manors and estates adorned with rose gardens and sprawling country acreage are a huge aspect of the series’ appeal, and many of these types of properties are swinging open their wrought-iron gates for private, exclusive lets. This means staying overnight in a country house of the aristocracy and sipping wine with the lord of the manor could be your reality.
A shot of the entrance hall in Knowsley Hall. The 12th Earl of Derby (1752-1834) gave his name to the prestigious Derby and Oaks horse races which he started in 1780. Guests can experience horse riding and clay pigeon shooting on the estate. (Photo courtesy of Storied Collection)
Storied Collection is a luxury Vrbo and Airbnb for castles, stately homes and manors, all with an alluring story to tell. It was launched in 2022 with financial support notably from French-Swiss IndyCar race driver Romain Grosjean, who shares an appreciation for history and landmark buildings when he isn’t in the hot seat of his No. 77 Chevrolet.
When Coral Gables, Florida resident and co-founder of Storied Collection, Michael Goldin and his wife were dreaming of staying in a castle in the UK, post Covid lockdown, their search wasn’t as easy as they thought it would be. “From remote locations and low response rates to outdated interiors, the challenges quickly became evident,” said hospitality veteran, Goldin. “Recognizing the need for a better solution, my friend and now co-founder, Justin Hauge, [former Airbnb executive] and I set out to create a simpler, more accessible way for travellers to find their dream castle vacation.”
Mapperton House is the seat of the Earl of Sandwich, and has been carefully preserved and restored to ensure its historical significance and architectural beauty endure. (Photos courtesy of Storied Collection)
Once he and his wife finally found their dream castle, Fenton Tower in Scotland, Goldin was surprised to discover it was the home of his ancestors. There’s been an uptick in interest surrounding tracing family lineage and using that knowledge to inform travel choices. With this in mind, Storied Collection partnered with ancestry.com, noting that over 80 million people could trace their ancestral lineage to one of its 27 grand country houses across the UK and Ireland. Chateau du Mont in Normandy, France was added to the collection in June, with more properties to come.
What makes this collection of high-end fairytale estates extra special is that they are exclusive-use lets, and 80% of the properties are owned by the ancestral family. Dukes, earls, lords and ladies live in the properties where you will be staying, in your own private wing or the entire estate exclusively. The average size of the estate grounds is 1,000 acres and 12 bedrooms; so whether you’re booking a wedding venue, corporate retreat, family celebration or romantic getaway, there is plenty of breathing space and room to pursue passionate pastimes like golf or garden gazing.
Located on the banks of the serene River Glyde and at the gateway to the Cooley Mountains, Bellingham Castle is at the center of a sprawling 17-acre estate, which includes a weir and a man-made island. (Photo courtesy of Storied Collection)
“The biggest difference with our estates and airbnb/Vrbo,” explains Goldin“is that they come with service; typically a chef, often a butler, and always a house manager.” The more prestigious properties have a one or two Michelin star chef preparing your meals, and owners are usually more than happy to meet guests and occasionally dine with them if they are available.
The Storied Collection website is a bookmark-worthy site inspired by historic accommodations, heirlooms and architecture. Detailed history and heritage of all of its properties is curated by an in-house historian, and it promotes a search feature for historic hotels.
“The closest thing to compare us to would be Pride of Britain Hotels, which is the top British hotels,” says Goldin. “We’re different because we only work with exclusive-use venues. The other similar comparison for us would be Relais & Chteaux, but again, they only work with hotels.”
Three Idyllic Properties in the UK
The Stanley family, famed for hockey’s iconic trophy, has owned the majestic Knowsley Hall for more than 600 years. It is currently home to the 19th Earl and Countess of Derby. (Photo courtesy of Storied Collection)
Imagine a hockey themed corporate retreat or a wedding or family retreat for hockey enthusiasts at the palatial Knowsley Hall, the ancestral seat of the Stanley Cup’s benefactor. Is there anything more quintessentially Canadian than hockey and its beloved Stanley Cup? Lord Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby and Canada’s Governor General from 1888 to 1893, donated the Stanley Cup in 1892 and established the enduring hockey championships. Today the original “Lord Stanley’s Mug” is permanently on show in Lord Stanley’s Vault in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Canada. Lord Stanley’s direct ancestors live in the family seat, Knowsley Hall, in Merseyside, North West England, 15 minutes from the Liverpool airport. Presently home to the 19th Earl and Countess of Derby, the walled estate is set within 2,500 acres with garden and lake views, and offers a Safari experience with lions and tigers and rhinoceroses, Shakespeare theatre in the garden, horse riding, clay pigeon shooting, and wellness treatments at the award-winning Chill Out Spa. Don’t forget to visit the historic Potato Pie House, the Canadian log cabin that was gifted to Lord Stanley at the end of his tenure as Governor General, as a thank you from Canadians for his donation of the Stanley Cup.
Knowsley Hall has been featured in numerous sets, including the film, A Gentleman in Moscow (2024), the 2022 tv series, The Ipcress File, and the Countess of Derby hosts the Living History with the Countess of Derby podcast.
Mapperton spans across 1,900 acres and includes farms, a rewilding project, and tranquil award-winning gardens with an 18th century natural swimming pool, orangerie, arboretum and enchanting topiary display. (Photos courtesy of Storied Collection)
Mapperton House and Gardens: Voted the finest manor house in England by Country Life magazine, Mapperton is home to the 12th Earl and Countess of Sandwich, Julie and Luke Montagu. Admirers can follow their adventures of living in the idyllic West Dorset Jacobean manor on their Youtube channel, Mapperton Live, and the sister channel, American Countess, which features exclusive tours of British manors, castles and estates. Mapperton House is minutes from the town of Lyme Regis (a.k.a the Pearl of Dorset) on the Jurassic Coast, England’s only UNESCO all natural world heritage site, and is on the King Charles III England Coast Path.
Mapperton House has been featured on the silver screen in Rebecca (2020), Far from the Madding Crowd (2015), Emma (1996), and Restoration (1995). Filming is currently underway for a major new television series slated to air in the UK in 2026.Mapperton is hosting its third Grand Historic Tours retreat October 5-10, 2025, which includes a five-night stay at Mapperton, hosted by the owners.
Bellingham Castle offers guests a luxurious castle stay with its opulent stately bedrooms, elegant reception rooms, beautifully landscaped gardens, and a warm and inviting atmosphere. (Photo courtesy of Storied Collection)
Bellingham Castle: Located in the medieval village of Castlebellingham, County Louth in northeast Ireland, the 17th-century Bellingham Castle sits on a picturesque 17-acre estate on the banks of the River Glyde. An hour’s drive from Dublin and Belfast, it’s the gateway to the Cooley Mountains. The ancestral Bellingham family lived in the castle until the 1950s. It is now one of four castles in Ireland owned by Howard Corscadden and his three siblings, third-generation hoteliers who recognize the special appeal of castles, particularly as wedding venues.
The castle operates as a hotel but is available for exclusive let stays during select periods. The palatial 19-bedroom Georgian and Gothic building has been sympathetically renovated, alongside nine new Boathouse bedrooms, elegant bar and dining room. Bellingham Castle is featured in the 2008 Irish reality TV series, Filte Towers.
MORE ABOUT STORIED COLLECTION
Website: storiedcollection.com
Visit Britain: www.visitbritain.com/en
More Turn-Key Heritage Estates to Visit: Fresh on the heels of her high society wedding, Viscountess Violet Manners is on a mission to make heritage properties hip. The 31-year old aristocrat spent much of her childhood at the family seat, Belvoir Castle, a 15,000-acre estate in Lincolnshire, England. As the CEO of HeritageXplore, she is inviting visitors to experience Britain’s hidden heritage. Visit the website for a curated selection of properties, podcasts and adventures for heritage enthusiasts.
Historic Houses offers a comprehensive catalogue of over 1,000 privately owned heritage properties and gardens, listing overnight accommodation, garden and home tours and special events. Don’t forget to ask about cottage and farmhouse lets, yet another way to enjoy life on the estate.
