Stowe House celebrates award-winning Vanbrugh300 Festival, welcoming over 2,000 visitors for family weekend
Stowe House's Vanbrugh300 Family Weekend has been named runner-up in the Bucks Spark Awards, rounding off a successful year of lectures, guided tours, exhibitions and family activities celebrating Sir John Vanbrugh's legacy.
Stowe House is celebrating a successful year of events and activities as its participation in the nationwide Vanbrugh300 festival comes to a close, with its Family Weekend receiving recognition at the 2026 Bucks Spark Awards.
Presented by the Georgian Group and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Vanbrugh300 marked the 300th anniversary of the death of Sir John Vanbrugh, one of Britain's most influential architects. Stowe House joined five other historic properties across England to celebrate his architectural achievements and lasting contribution to British heritage.
Throughout 2026, Stowe House Preservation Trust delivered a varied programme designed to appeal to everyone from architectural enthusiasts and historians to families encountering Vanbrugh's story for the first time.
The programme welcomed 241 attendees to its lecture series, featuring leading architects, historians and authors, while 260 people joined specialist guided tours examining Vanbrugh's contribution to Stowe House and its wider estate.
A particular highlight was the Vanbrugh300 Family Weekend on 1 and 2 August, which attracted 2,071 visitors across the two days, including 1,281 who entered Stowe House.
The weekend brought together storytelling, drama workshops, family crafts, guided tours and outdoor activities, creating a lively atmosphere across the House and South Front lawns.
The success of the weekend was recognised at the Bucks Culture Conference on 5 November, where it was named runner-up in the Best Cultural Event category of the 2026 Bucks Spark Awards. Presented by HM Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, Countess Howe, the awards celebrate the achievements of arts, heritage and cultural organisations and groups across the county.
Visitor feedback was equally encouraging, with families praising the range of activities and asking whether the event would return in future years. One visitor described it as a "Fabulous weekend in such a lovely environment", while another commented that there was "plenty to see and do" and that the event was "very well organised".
Susy Pullen, Co-Director of Stowe House Preservation Trust, said: "Vanbrugh300 has been a wonderful opportunity to share a different side of Stowe's history. From fascinating new research to families enjoying the House together, it's been particularly rewarding to see people engaging with Vanbrugh's story in so many different ways.
"We're incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make the programme possible."
Beyond the events themselves, an exhibition in the Marble Saloon, a specially developed garden trail and a range of digital resources helped visitors discover Vanbrugh's architectural legacy and his close relationship with Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham.
Although the celebrations have concluded, their legacy continues. Visitors can still collect Vanbrugh garden trail maps from Stowe House and the National Trust Visitor Centre at the New Inn, while the Stowe House website retains a dedicated Vanbrugh300 article featuring historical information, festival highlights and resources for further learning.
Stowe House was proud to participate in the festival alongside Blenheim Palace, Castle Howard, Kimbolton Castle, Grimsthorpe Castle and National Trust Seaton Delaval Hall.
To revisit Vanbrugh300 at Stowe House and learn more about Sir John Vanbrugh's lasting influence, visit stowehouse.org.