Inside the home of... Viscount and Viscountess Hinchingbrooke

The entrance hall

"This is the most comfortable of the formal rooms in the front of the house. We’ve started putting the Christmas tree up here, and there’s nothing better in winter than cosying up to the huge fire. My favourite piece of furniture is the Renaissance table with its exquisitely detailed carving - probably brought home after one of the family's grand tours."

The drawing room

"The Drawing Room contains a very fine suite of Regency furniture, along with an important portrait of the 4th Earl by Sir Joshua Reynolds. I’m particularly fond of the Aubusson carpet which we’ve just had restored on an enormous loom."

"We don’t know who painted this portrait of Edward, 1st Lord Montagu of Boughton, but he was the uncle of the 1st Earl of Sandwich. My mother-in-law likes the picture but tells me she used to hide his hands behind a plant, as she thought they looked like dead fish!"

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The kitchen

"The truth is that I spend most of my time in the kitchen at Mapperton because the 1950s Aga keeps it so warm. It was the first room we redecorated when we moved in four years ago, and I’m particularly fond of the colours and texture of the original flagstone floor."

The hall

"The Staircase Hall is full of Montagu ancestors, including the 4th Earl of Sandwich (who invented the snack) and his ill-fated mistress, Martha Ray. However, my favourite is Alberta, wife of the 9th Earl, who came over from Chicago during the Gilded Age. As a fellow Chicagoan, I like to imagine that she watches out for me."

The master bedroom

"The Great Chamber is the finest bedroom in the house, with views north and east across the gardens. It’s best known for the magnificent Tudor pendant ceiling - there’s a similar one in Hampton Court Palace."

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The lavatory

"This is a favourite room; it’s full of political cartoons satirising my husband’s forebears. The lavatory is equally titillating; it’s over 100 years old and has an unforgettable flush."

Guest room one

"This bedroom has a Tudor four poster with a horsehair mattress. There’s also an extremely comfortable chaise-longue which is high up on my repairs list. The stunning Flemish tapestries are also in need of restoration - it can be hard to decide what to prioritise at Mapperton."

Guest room two

"The Chapel Room is another guest bedroom, named because it is closest to All Saints Church which adjoins this side of the house. There are some wonderful 18th-century watercolours of classical sites in Rome, as well as a working fireplace - when the chimney isn’t occupied by jackdaws!"

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The gardens

"The Fountain Court is the centre of the formal gardens, with its box hedge topiary, fountains and grottos. It’s also a favourite spot for yoga whenever the reticent English sun makes an appearance."

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