House tours

Personal Tours at Minterne House

Minterne House offers exclusive, owner-guided tours of this privately owned historic home.

Personally led by Lord Digby, these intimate experiences offer a rare opportunity to explore the house, learn about its rich history, and meet both Lord and Lady Digby.

Tour Itinerary

• 10:00 AM – Arrival with tea/coffee and cream tea
• 10:30 AM – House Tour guided by Lord Digby
• 11:30 AM – Garden Tour led by Head Gardener, Mark Bobin
• 12:30 PM – Two-course lunch served in the Tapestry Dining Room
• 2:00 PM – Departure

Tour Dates 2026:

• Tuesday 12th May
• Wednesday 13th May
• Tuesday 6th October
• Wednesday 7th October

These one-on-one experiences are extremely limited.

Please note: Tickets are non-refundable.

If you’re interested in private group tour options, please email us with your group details and preferred dates at events@minterne.co.uk.

The History

Lord Digby shares a fascinating introduction to the history of the house and the family during the tours covering 500 years:

Minterne House –

Minterne was originally the Manor of the Abbey of Cerne.

In 1539 following the dissolution of the Monasteries, the property was given to Winchester College.

Winchester College rented it to the first Sir Winston Churchill, who left it to his younger son, General Charles Churchill.

The present house was rebuilt in 1905 due to dry rot by Leonard Stokes who was President of the RIBA and a founder member of the Arts & Crafts movement.

Churchill House –

Minterne was home of the first Sir Winston Churchill.

The Duke of Marlborough was brought up here who had to “make do” with Blenheim!

Minterne still has the original Churchill tapestries and furniture.

Robert Digby –

A younger son from Sherborne Castle.

Admiral Robert Digby bought the house & valley on a “walk-in, walk-out” basis (which meant that everything in the house remained here)

Every time that Capability Brown came down to Sherborne Castle, Robert would ride over and pick his brains!

Henry Digby – Under the barrel-vaulted ceiling of The Trafalgar Hall, Lord Digby will talk about his ancestor Admiral Henry Digby.

Captain of the “Africa” during the Battle of Trafalgar.

Many letters, paintings and prizes from that time are still at Minterne.

Jane Digby – the eldest of Admiral Henry Digby’s three children.

Jane was a great Victorian Traveller who married Sheikh Medjuel el Mezraab & lived for 25 years in Syria.

She had a house in Homs & Damascus, while she spent 6 months of the year in Bedouin tents.

Pamela Digby Churchill Harriman – Married Randolph Churchill during the war, and became a very close confidant of her father in law, Winston.

Pamela married an American and was appointed American Ambassador to Paris by President Bill Clinton.