A study of the UK’s most visited stately homes according to Instagram data has put Chatsworth House in ninth place, ahead of Castle Howard in North Yorkshire, which played a key role in hit Netflix show Bridgerton, in 11th.
Highclere Castle in Hampshire, the setting for hit drama and film Downton Abbey, was ranked 13th, just ahead of Hardwick Hall in 16thfor the number of Instagram posts.
Coming top in the study carried out by windows and doors manufacturer Quickslide was the Queen’s central London home, Buckingham Palace, with Windsor Castle in fourth, while Kensington Palace, home of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, was ranked third, just behind the Tower of London.
A spokesman said: “Unsurprisingly, the country’s world-renowned royal abodes are the most tagged stately homes in the UK, with Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Kensington Palace, and Windsor Castle taking the top four spots, with Buckingham Palace having the most Instagram snaps and leading by a whopping 600,000 posts.
“The other top spots feature castles and houses with hundreds of years of history, land and stunning décor for tourists and selfie-lovers alike to explore.
“Whichever stately home is on your list to visit once lockdown restrictions have been lifted, you’re certain to enjoy a day of exploring both the vast history and beauty that each of these estates across the country hold.”
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1. Buckinham Palace, Westminster, London - 1.2 million posts
Leading in popularity by a whopping 600k posts, the administrative headquarters of the monarch is unsurprisingly the most Instragrammed stately home in the UK. As the Royal Family’s most famous home, the palace is also one of Britain’s most iconic London focal points, drawing in more than £3 million paid admissions as of 2020. Photo: Shutterstock
2. Tower of London, Tower Hamlets, London - 594,000 posts
In second place, the 900-year-old Tower of London houses the crown jewels as well as being infamous for holding many royal and notorious prisoners in the past, and has, over its time, been used as a royal residence, a prison, and an armoury, to name a few! Photo: Shutterstock
3. Kensington,Palace, Kensington and Chelsea, London - 383,000 posts
Kensington Palace, as well as being a popular tourist destination, is the official residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children. The palace has been home to royals for more than 300 years and was the birthplace of Queen Victoria; it’s a great place to visit to explore the history of the royals through time. Photo: Shutterstock
4. Windsor Castle, Berkshire - 366,000 posts
With more than 1,000 years of architectural history to discover, Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in Berkshire. The Queen herself regularly spends time here as it is her official residence and the largest occupied castle in the world. Photo: Shutterstock