British Celebrities Reveal Their Favourite UK Spots for National Trust

4 April 2013

Cliveden House is a 'special place' for Jude Law

Celebrities are used to life in front of the lens but this spring stars from the world of sport, film and TV are taking a turn behind the camera and sharing their favourite UK spots (scroll down for pictures).

Actor Jude Law, chefs The Fabulous Baker Brothers and England rugby ace Austin Healey are among those who have shared photographs of the places that mean the most to them as part of a nationwide initiative by the National Trust to celebrate the importance of 'special places' in people's lives.

The campaign follows research undertaken by the charity which found that 84 per cent of Brits have a favourite place they go to which positively affects their wellbeing and happiness.

Photographs by the celebrities are being showcased on a new app created by the National Trust to encourage people to share their favourite place and why it means so much to them. The app will also feature places that are important to National Trust staff and volunteers and members of the public.

Included on the app are well-known names such as Nell McAndrew with photographs of Ham House in London, whilst Kim Cattrall shares memories of Blickling Estate in Norfolk, describing it as a perfect day when she visited with family.

Other celebrities involved include The Fabulous Baker Brothers, Tom and Henry Herbert, who chose Dyrham Park near Bath after family picnics there and its spectacular views across the South Gloucestershire countryside.

British model David Gandy, whos favourite National Trust spot is Melford Hall in Suffolk, said: "I wanted to share my favourite photograph of Melford Hall as I have such fond and affectionate memories here, from visiting the beautiful grounds and rooms on school trips with all my school friends to family outings.

“Luckily my parents live very close to Melford hall and so we tend to visit together quite often. I particularly enjoy the fun event held on fireworks night, as this is when the gardens and park really come to life.

“Lots of people have special places that evoke happy memories so I think it's great that the National Trust is encouraging people to share their love and give these places the importance they deserve."

According to the National Trust study, four out of five people said visiting their favourite place had a bigger impact on their wellbeing than shopping or going to the cinema. Nearly a third of those surveyed said their favourite place was where they grew up, while 30 per cent chose a recent holiday spot and one in four the location of a childhood family outing.

One in ten are romantically-minded and admitted that their special place was where they were married and five per cent where they were proposed to, while 87 per cent said their special place made them happy just thinking about it, with three quarters of those surveyed revealing the place they love the most reminded them of their family.

Celebrity Favourite UK Locations:

Jude Law, Actor
Cliveden House, Berkshire - Great memories filming a scene from Sherlock Holmes at Cliveden House.

Cliveden House

Naomie Harris, Actress and Bond girl

Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire - enjoyed discovering history of beautiful house.

Waddesdon Manor

Mollie King, The Saturdays
Box Hill, Surrey - Great memories exploring with her grandparents when she was younger.

Box Hill

David Gandy, Model
Melford Hall, Suffolk - Childhood memories of school trips exploring the grounds.

Melford Hall

Kim Cattrall, Actress
Blickling Estate, Norfolk - Great memories visiting her cousin.

Blickling Estate

Alex Jones, Presenter
Brecon Beacon's, Wales - Family memories including her father doing his Duke of Edinburgh award there.

Brecon Beacon's

Samantha Murray, Olympian
Lacock Abbey, Lacock near Bath - Loves the peace, enjoys afternoon tea and long walks.

Lacock Abbey

Austin Healey, former England & British Lions rugby player
Conwy Bridge, North Wales - Childhood memories on the river.

Conwy Bridge

Tom and Henry Herbert, The Fabulous Baker Brothers - TV chefs
Dyrham Park, Bath - Family picnics and watching tribute bands in the grounds.

Dyrham Park

Johny Pitts, CBBC Children's TV Presenter
Upper Derwent Valley, Peak District - Showed him how beautiful nature was after growing up on a council estate.

Upper Derwent Valley

Nell McAndrew, Model & Fitness Expert
Ham House, London - Family memories Easter Egg hunting.

Ham House

Tyger Drew Honey, Actor in Outnumbered
Box Hill, Surrey - School trip memories playing with friends.

Box Hill

Hugo Taylor, Made in Chelsea star
Carlyle House, Chelsea - Walked past it every day on his way to school.

Carlyle House

Nick Moran, Actor, famous for his role in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
The George Inn, London - Loves the building, ales and nostalgia.

The George Inn

Jacqueline Durran, Oscar winning Costume Designer on recent blockbuster Anna Karenina
Basildon Park, Reading - Worked on Pride and Prejudice at Basildon Park.

Basildon Park