Pictures of Canons Ashby House

a Historic Building in the town of Canons Ashby, in the county of Northamptonshire

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About Canons Ashby House

This house was originally part of an Augustinian Priory, it was only converted into a charming Elizabethan manor house during the 16th century when the Dryden family purchased it as their main residence. Today, it is owned by the National Trust.

Since its inception the house has undergone several periods of change, it was altered late in the 16th century, again in 1630, and most latterly in 1710. Very little appears to have been done to the property since this date, save for the restoration of parts of the garden, including the 18th century terraces and walls.

The interior of the house shows a rich collection of wall paintings and fine Jacobean plasterwork. The drawing room possesses an elaborate Domed ceiling with quite exceptional plasterwork and is lit with three long sash windows giving the overall impression of grace and light. The parlour is a pretty room, with walls painted in the classical trompe-l'oeil style, the perfect background for the lovely needle-point covered furniture.

Nearly everything in this house has associations with members of the Dryden family, particularly the oak bookcases in the small library, these were added by Sir Henry Dryden who used the room as a study. Amongst the leather-bound books are those written by famous literary figures who visited Canon's Ashby, these include the poet Edmund Spencer, John Dryden who became poet laureate and Samuel Richardson, author and playwright - he is thought to have written most of "Sir Charles Grandison" while staying here. In stark contrast is the kitchen and dairy, these show the marked difference between the lives of those living above and below stairs.

The gardens have the same delightful intimate atmosphere as the house, here visitors can stroll amongst colourful herbaceous borders and see fruit trees contemporary with the 16th century. Formal gardens surround the house from which a flight of old stone steps descends leading visitors towards lawns and the home paddock which the national trust has replanted with sweetly scented wild flowers.

In the grounds is all that is left of the original Augustinian Priory, a small, but rather grand church which despite being reduced to almost a quarter of its size remains impressive, giving visitors an idea of just how prosperous a place this once was.
Please see below for other recommended attractions and towns to visit near Canons Ashby House.

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Distances and directions shown below are approximate. For true driving distances please visit the AA Route Planner

Recommended attractions near Canons Ashby House

Sulgrave Manor	(3.4 miles, 5.5 km, direction S)	Pictures
Daventry Country Park	(8.0 miles, 12.8 km, direction N)	Pictures
Banbury Museum	(9.9 miles, 16.0 km, direction SW)	Pictures
Stowe Landscape Gardens	(10.5 miles, 16.8 km, direction SE)	Pictures
Burton Dassett Hills Country Park	(10.6 miles, 17.1 km, direction W)	Pictures
Althorp	(10.9 miles, 17.6 km, direction NE)	Pictures
Broughton Castle	(12.5 miles, 20.0 km, direction SW)	Pictures
The Old Gaol Museum	(13.0 miles, 20.9 km, direction SE)	Pictures
Upton House	(13.3 miles, 21.5 km, direction W)	Pictures
Brook Cottage Gardens, Alkerton	(13.4 miles, 21.6 km, direction W)	Pictures

All attractions in Northamptonshire
Complete A to Z of attractions in England

Recommended towns near Canons Ashby House

Culworth, in the county of Northamptonshire (3.2 miles, 5.1 km, direction SW)
Sweet Northamptonshire village set amid delightful open countryside which centuries ago was sufficiently important to have it's own fair and market.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Sulgrave, in the county of Northamptonshire (3.8 miles, 6.1 km, direction S)
USA President George Washington's ancestral home in England.
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Everdon, in the county of Northamptonshire (4.2 miles, 6.7 km, direction N)
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Badby, in the county of Northamptonshire (4.9 miles, 8.0 km, direction N)
Badby is an attractive village spread around a hillside. It shows a confection of pretty cottages, some of which are thickly thatched with creeper climbing up to pretty dormer windows.
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Cropredy, in the county of Oxfordshire (7.2 miles, 11.6 km, direction W)
Famous for the Battle of Cropredy Bridge, which took place in 1644 when on the 29th of June King Charles I was victorious over Waller, leader of the Cromwellian troops.
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Farnborough, in the county of Warwickshire (8.8 miles, 14.1 km, direction W)
Traditionally known as the last outpost of the Cotswolds.
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Banbury, a Historic Market Town in the county of Oxfordshire (9.9 miles, 16.0 km, direction SW)
This is one of the best known town's in England. It was made famous by its celebrated cross of 1859, built in honour of the...
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Stoke Bruerne, in the county of Northamptonshire (10.4 miles, 16.7 km, direction E)
Lying just south of Northampton this beautiful canal village offers a wealth of interest to any boating enthusiast or any country lover.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Burton Dassett, in the county of Warwickshire (11.2 miles, 18.0 km, direction W)
Delightful place in pleasant Warwickshire countryside.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Wroxton, in the county of Oxfordshire (11.5 miles, 18.6 km, direction SW)
Quintessential pretty Oxfordshire village showing a wealth of attractive thatched cottages, built mostly following a fire which struck the village during the latter half of the 17th-century.
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All towns in Northamptonshire
Complete A to Z of towns in England

Nearby travel help

M1 Junction 16	(8.1 miles, 13.1 km, direction NE)
M40 Junction 11	(8.7 miles, 14.0 km, direction SW)
Banbury Station	(9.6 miles, 15.4 km, direction SW)
Long Buckby Station	(10.3 miles, 16.5 km, direction N)
Birmingham International Airport	(32.0 miles, 51.5 km, direction NW)
London Luton Airport	(38.8 miles, 62.4 km, direction SE)
Canons Ashby House to London	(62.9 miles, 101.2 km, direction SE)

Accommodation & Hotels near Canons Ashby House

Hotel Name
Hellidon Lakes - A QHotel	(5.8 miles, 9.3 km, direction NW)
The Globe Hotel	(6.5 miles, 10.5 km, direction NE)
De Vere Venues Staverton Park	(6.7 miles, 10.9 km, direction N)
The Kings Head	(6.9 miles, 11.1 km, direction SE)
Holiday Inn Northampton West M1 Junc 16	(7.4 miles, 11.9 km, direction NE)
Saracens Head Hotel	(7.5 miles, 12.0 km, direction E)
Paramount Daventry Hotel	(7.5 miles, 12.1 km, direction N)
Whittlebury Hall	(8.6 miles, 13.9 km, direction SE)
The Bowling Green Steakhouse Hotel	(8.8 miles, 14.2 km, direction SW)
Crown Hotel	(8.8 miles, 14.2 km, direction S)
All of our hotels are available to book online & with special discounts