UK Stately Homes at Risk: Heating Costs Surge by a Third in Just 5 Years

From Chatsworth House to Blenheim Palace, there is nothing quite like the ornate architecture, manicured gardens and fascinating histories of the stately homes in the UK. 

Often called country houses, many of these lavish estates date back to the mid-16th century and were once home to Britain’s most elite and noble families. Today, they have been passed down through generations and stand as iconic symbols of British heritage.

In fact, our recent research into worldwide Wikipedia data shows that over half (53%) of the most searched-for and most iconic landmarks in the UK are manor houses, palaces, or castles, highlighting how central these grand estates are to the global perception of the UK.

Despite this, over 50 large country houses are now at risk of being destroyed throughout the country. 

Already, as many as 2,000 of these historic homes have been lost in England alone since 1800. 

Perhaps this is unsurprising, considering the upkeep costs of such grand properties.

From service staff and groundskeepers to maintenance and listed property restrictions, the cost of running the best stately homes in the UK, like Chatsworth House, can easily amount to around £4 million a year.

Heating

Amidst the cost of living crisis, heating costs are at an all-time high across the board. For UK stately homes—much larger than the average house, with high ceilings, numerous windows, and doors—the expenses have surged even more dramatically.

We did the calculations and can reveal that heating a stately home could now cost as much as £58,217.50 annually—a significant increase of nearly £20,000 compared to just five years ago, when the cost averaged around £38,423.55. 

Our research shows that this price has shot up by a third compared to just 5 years ago, when the cost would have been around £38,423.55. 

This means that stately homes in the UK are now paying a third more for heating than they were in 2019. Considering how much prices of heating alone have surged in the last 5 years, it’s no wonder why so many stately homes in the UK are now finding themselves on the endangered list. 

Staffing Costs

Staffing is another major expense for stately homes in the UK, and with recent increases in the living wage, this cost has grown even more.

Our calculations show that owners of stately homes could be spending close to half a million pounds—around £440,000—each year just on staffing costs.

With our famous stately homes in the UK an intrinsic part of our history and heritage, it would be a huge loss to see more legendary estates disappear. These are some of the best stately homes in the UK that we have already lost over the years.

1. Castle Wemyss, Scotland

Castle Wemyss was built in 1850 for the property developer Charles Wilsone Brown who had grand plans to develop the land by Wemyss Bay in Scotland. 

It was a highly fashionable destination in its day and welcomed many notable guests over the years such as Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, the last king of Yugoslavia, Peter II and prominent Victorian-era English novelist Anthony Trollope, along with members of the British royal family.

However, after being abandoned in 1957, it fell into decay. The shell was demolished in 1984 for a housing development. Now, all that is left of this magnificent estate is a broken flight of stone steps and a flagpole.

2. Plas Dulas, Wales

Plas Dulas was once one of the best stately homes to visit in the UK. Located in Llanddulas, Wales, it was built in the 1840s as a summer house for Elizabeth Easthope, the daughter of the owner of the Morning Chronicle. 

Guests over the years include playwright Noel Coward, novelist Evelyn Waugh, and even the legendary Charles Dickens. However, the decision was made for it to be demolished in 2011 and build 15 homes in its place.Wanstead House, England

Wanstead House was one of the most impressive and biggest stately homes in the UK. The construction of this spectacular mansion was commissioned by Sir Richard Child in 1715 with the hope of rivalling contemporary mansions such as Blenheim Palace. 

Completed in 1722, it covered an impressive area of 260 feet (79 meters) by 70 feet (21 meters) and featured a facade with a portico supported by six Corinthian columns—the first of its kind in England.

Less than a century later, the home passed to Catherine Tylney-Long, Sir Richard Child’s great-niece and then England's wealthiest heiress. In 1812, she married William Wellesley-Pole, the Duke of Wellington’s nephew, who quickly squandered her fortune, even securing a ruinous £250,000 debt against the estate. 

The estate was demolished in 1825 for building materials, raising just £10,000—a fraction of its original £360,000 construction cost 103 years earlier. Its gardens now make up Wanstead Park in the London Borough of Redbridge.

3. Ardavon House, Northern Ireland

Ardavon House was a stunning Victorian mansion located a short walk from the shores of Belfast Lough, Northern Ireland. Built in 1878 by deputy treasurer of County Antrim, Samuel Trimble, the grand property had three reception rooms, six bedrooms and two bathrooms as well as a tennis lawn and flower and fruit gardens.

Abandoned in 2010, still donning many of its beautiful original Victorian features, it was then demolished in 2021 to make way for new builds, and its 5.9 acres of land were sold five years prior.

Conclusion

The magnificent architecture and rich histories of stately homes in the UK make them an essential part of our heritage. However, the high cost of maintaining these grand properties continues to rise.

One of the best ways to support these estates is to visit them in person. There are countless stately homes to visit in the UK, many of which offer overnight stays.

If you’re curious about staying in these historic properties, we offer a fantastic selection of stately homes, manor houses, and castles for rent across the country. From Scotland to Wales, and throughout England, our historic properties provide a magnificent glimpse into the history and heritage of the UK and its landmarks.

Methodology

To determine the staffing costs for the average UK stately home, we calculated the average salary for each required staff member based on previous research. We then summed these costs to arrive at a total of £440,000.

Next, we calculated the heating expenses for the average stately home in the UK for 2024. Using a formula from Green Match, we estimated the number of watts needed to heat these properties and factored in the average oil price per kwh in the UK for 2024.

We then used the same method with the average oil price per kwh in the UK from 2019 to calculate the heating costs for such a property five years ago.