Tyntesfield is the Victorian Gothic Revival house that William Gibbs built near Wraxall on a fortune made importing Peruvian guano, and it came to the National Trust in 2002 after a public appeal, complete with virtually all of its contents. The chapel, modelled on the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, is the showpiece, and the family's furniture, stained glass and everyday possessions survive room by room. Outside are terraced gardens, a large walled kitchen garden with glasshouses, an arboretum, a small farm and 540 acres of parkland with three colour-coded walks, plus play areas and a big second-hand bookshop with a children's reading corner. Reviewers praise the knowledgeable room volunteers, the wildflower meadows full of bees and butterflies, and the bodgers working green wood in the courtyard. Tips from visitors: the house is about a kilometre from the car park on paths with slopes and loose gravel, so ask about the volunteer-run mobility shuttle if that is a problem, allow at least three hours, and leave the house through the chapel.
