Play croquet on the lawns of Brodsworth Hall

The typically English lawn game of croquet first became popular in the 1860s, just as the Victorian country house at Brodsworth was being built for a rich banking family. It’s the ideal location to try the sport, which is as much an excuse to socialise as it is to hit balls through hoops. After a game, relax in the charming tea rooms or enjoy a picnic in the glorious grounds.

Afterwards tour the house, which feels as if the family has just popped out. English Heritage preserved the rooms exactly as they found them, so the house is something of a time capsule. 

The gardens are also magnificent. Stroll down manicured lawns to charming pathways through picturesque dells and grottos filled with tree ferns, palms and other exotic plants. 

Brodsworth Hall is in Northern England, 5.5 miles (9km) from Doncaster, itself 1 hour 35 minutes from London by rail.

Content provided by Visit Doncaster