Looking for a stately home this week

Times are tough these days for everyone. Even the aristocracy is not immune. However, for those noble old families who are falling on hard times there is light at the end of the tunnel. Britain's stately homes are more in demand than ever from the tourist trade as people seek to reconnect with our heritage.

According to various statistics, around 30 million people visit various stately homes every year. In financial terms it pumps over a billion pounds into the economy every year. They spearhead the resurgence of Britain as a popular destination attracting visitors not just from within our own country but also overseas.

Indeed, why not? Britain is surely one of the finest places in the world in high summer. True, for the rest of the year it may be a bit dicey, but for a few weeks in June, there is nowhere better in the world. Ironically, this is traditionally the time when most of us up stakes and head to sunnier climates. However, more and more people are getting wise to the secret: abandon the June flight abroad. Instead opt for a winter holiday and enjoy summer time Britain instead.

Visiting historical sites is an endlessly rewarding experience. It's different every time. Since earliest Saxon times Britain has an unparalleled record of outstanding architecture, which has evolved through the ages. You could spend one day visiting a Saxon castle, another a Norman keep. From there you can continue all the way through the ages reaching the great stately homes of the Tudors and beyond.

At various times we hear lamentations in the press predicting imminent demise for our historical icons. However, they needn't have worried. At every turn our finest properties evolve and develop with the times and, as they do, they collect a treasure trove of stories and information. Some locations take this theme a step further and put on annual recreations of how the house might have looked during various stages of its life - for instance it may once have been a working farm with peasants working the outer fields, before becoming a base for the military during the war.

The stories from these episodes are etched onto the walls and into the fabric of our stately homes. They pay living testament to the rich heritage that makes this country special. It proves you don't need blue skies and white beaches to attract the tourists. Instead we should concentrate on what sets us apart: our unique depth of history.