House & Garden Tours

Personal Tours at Minterne House

Minterne House occasionally offers exclusive, guided tours of this privately owned historic home given by The Honourable Mrs Percy (sister to Lord Digby).

These intimate experiences offer a rare opportunity to explore the house and to learn about its rich history.

If you’re interested in private group tour options, please contact us at enquiries@minterne.co.uk

The History

Discover a fascinating introduction to the history of the house and the family during the tours covering 500 years:

Minterne House –

Minterne was originally the Manor of the Abbey of Cerne.

In 1539 following the dissolution of the Monasteries, the property was given to Winchester College.

Winchester College rented it to the first Sir Winston Churchill, who left it to his younger son, General Charles Churchill.

The present house was rebuilt in 1905 due to dry rot by Leonard Stokes who was President of the RIBA and a founder member of the Arts & Crafts movement.

Churchill House –

Minterne was home of the first Sir Winston Churchill.

The Duke of Marlborough was brought up here who had to “make do” with Blenheim!

Minterne still has the original Churchill tapestries and furniture.

Robert Digby –

A younger son from Sherborne Castle.

Admiral Robert Digby bought the house & valley on a “walk-in, walk-out” basis (which meant that everything in the house remained here)

Every time that Capability Brown came down to Sherborne Castle, Robert would ride over and pick his brains!

Henry Digby – Under the barrel-vaulted ceiling of The Trafalgar Hall, Lord Digby will talk about his ancestor Admiral Henry Digby.

Captain of the “Africa” during the Battle of Trafalgar.

Many letters, paintings and prizes from that time are still at Minterne.

Jane Digby – the eldest of Admiral Henry Digby’s three children.

Jane was a great Victorian Traveller who married Sheikh Medjuel el Mezraab & lived for 25 years in Syria.

She had a house in Homs & Damascus, while she spent 6 months of the year in Bedouin tents.

Pamela Digby Churchill Harriman – Married Randolph Churchill during the war, and became a very close confidant of her father in law, Winston.

Pamela married an American and was appointed American Ambassador to Paris by President Bill Clinton.