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Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage. Vanbrugh 300 is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to develop a nationwide project that aims to broaden the awareness of Vanbrugh through special displays, free education programmes and lectures, throughout his tercentenary year in 2026.
Throughout 2026, each partner house hosted a dedicated Vanbrugh300 Weekend, bringing the programme to life for families and communities.
These vibrant events featured fast-paced, interactive storytelling performances by Storyjam’s Alys Torrance and Lucy Lill, alongside creative workshops and hands-on activities. Visitors could take part in imaginative experiences such as Hat’s Off to Vanbrugh, designing their own Baroque-inspired architectural headwear, or Big, Bold and Baroque, an energetic exploration of Vanbrugh’s life and buildings through movement, play and creativity. Designed to be inclusive and engaging, these weekends invited audiences of all ages to experience heritage in new and playful ways.
Audiences met John Vanbrugh: playwright, architect, soldier, spy and all-round rule-breaker.
This fast-paced, interactive 20-minute family storytelling performance by Lucy Lill and Alys Torrance raced through the many roles of one of Britain’s most surprising historical figures. Audience members were invited to step into Vanbrugh’s shoes as the chapters of his extraordinary life unfolded.
From early travels and time spent in prison to theatrical triumphs, political intrigue, historic fall-outs and the creation of some of Britain’s most iconic buildings, the performance brought history to life with humour and mischief. Through comic chaos, physical storytelling and sharp wit, audiences discovered how Vanbrugh’s many talents combined to shape his remarkable life and lasting legacy.
Hats Off to Vanbrugh! - A Family Design Session
Participants became both architect and costume designer in this fun, hands-on session inspired by the life and work of Sir John Vanbrugh.
Families dropped in to design their own wearable works of architecture, taking inspiration from Vanbrugh’s most famous buildings across the UK. Working with a theatre designer, and drawing on Vanbrugh’s spectacular architecture, colourful life and love of drama, participants created bold and imaginative hats. They thought like architects as they built three-dimensional designs that could be worn, displayed and taken home.
From grand Baroque towers to theatrical flourishes fit for a Kit-Cat Club party, the workshops encouraged creativity, curiosity and experimentation, bringing Vanbrugh’s architectural and theatrical worlds to life.
Big, Bold & Baroque: A Vanbrugh Architecture Adventure
Families stepped inside the bold, imaginative world of Sir John Vanbrugh - playwright, architect, soldier, spy and dreamer!
In this lively, hands-on family workshop, participants explored Vanbrugh’s extraordinary life and buildings through movement, imagination and play. They discovered how his palaces, castles and theatres were designed to feel dramatic, powerful and full of stories, just like his plays.
Bringing his dramatic Baroque designs to life, families discovered why Vanbrugh was celebrated as the rockstar of the English Baroque. Together, they uncovered the stories hidden within his buildings, explored how bold spaces could shape emotions and experienced architecture from a new perspective. Inspired by Vanbrugh’s belief in the power of imagination, the workshop encouraged families to explore how stories, buildings and ideas could all begin with a creative spark.
Alongside the exhibitions, family activities and community engagement initiatives delivered as part of the Vanbrugh300 weekends, each partner house developed its own additional events and activities, which are highlighted below.
The Cast of Players, a free to view projection artwork, celebrated Seaton Delaval Hall, its communities and its architect, Sir John Vanbrugh, capturing the unique blend of grandeur and irreverence that defined the house. Vanbrugh’s iconic building was reimagined as a vast, magical toy theatre, brought to life by the flamboyant Delavals and their unmistakable flair for theatrics. The projection featured portraits of 300 people and their pets, celebrating their personal connections to Seaton Delaval Hall. Photographed by Richard Eyers, the portraits were brought to life through an atmospheric evening projection and soundscape created by Illuminos.
At Blenheim Palace, families enjoyed a weekend of creativity and storytelling, with plenty of opportunities to explore Vanbrugh’s remarkable legacy beyond the family activities and live performances. Visitors could step into the Heritage Learning Lab to discover more about the people, ideas and stories behind the palace, and even meet Sir John Vanbrugh and the Duchess of Marlborough themselves. Alongside these interactive experiences, the Blueprints of Power exhibition offered a deeper insight into Vanbrugh’s architectural ambition and influential partnership with Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, revealing the fascinating personalities and power struggles behind one of Britain’s most extraordinary Baroque palaces.
As part of Castle Howard’s Vanbrugh300 Weekend, visitors explored Playshapes: Castle Constructors, a large-scale, hands-on installation created by Yorkshire artist Pippa Hale. Made from six one-metre coloured cubes that could be broken down into steps, triangles, polygons, cylinders and prisms, the installation invited children to transform geometric forms into imaginative towers, follies and dens. Echoing Vanbrugh’s experimental approach to architecture, the activity encouraged visitors to dismantle, reconfigure and rebuild, exploring colour, form and three-dimensional space through creative play and collaboration.
As part of Grimsthorpe Castle’s Vanbrugh300 weekend, visitors enjoyed An Evening of Vanbrugh, a special performance by the Cambridge University Amateur Dramatic Club, England’s oldest student theatre company. Held in the magnificent Great Hall of Grimsthorpe Castle, the evening brought together a medley of his greatest theatrical scenes alongside newly written responses commissioned especially for the occasion. Performed by talented student actors, directors and designers from Cambridge, the production celebrated Vanbrugh’s wit, creativity and enduring influence as a playwright, bringing his Restoration comedies to life in the very setting he designed. Visitors also had the opportunity to enjoy refreshments and explore the castle’s formal gardens before and after the performance, making it a memorable evening of theatre and celebration.
As part of Stowe’s Vanbrugh300 Weekend, visitors enjoyed a range of activities celebrating Sir John Vanbrugh’s architectural legacy, including family-friendly face painting, guided tours and free entry to the National Trust gardens. Families could follow a self-guided Garden Trail, using a map to discover the temples, monuments and landscapes shaped by Vanbrugh’s distinctive vision. Exclusive guided tours offered a rare opportunity to explore parts of the external House complex not usually accessible to visitors, revealing hidden architectural details and uncovering Vanbrugh’s influence on the estate. The tours also explored Stowe’s unique history of commissioning celebrated designers, showcasing how successive generations of architects contributed to its remarkable blend of styles, ambition and craftsmanship.
Vanbrugh300 also brought the celebrations to London with a special weekend of events at 6 Fitzroy Square, the historic headquarters of The Georgian Group, and the National Portrait Gallery. As part of Open House London, visitors explored 6 Fitzroy Square, enjoyed introductory talks about Vanbrugh by historian Rory Fraser and discovered the Vanbrugh: Rockstar of the English Baroque display, celebrating Vanbrugh’s achievements as an architect, playwright, soldier and spy. The weekend continued at the National Portrait Gallery with a special event featuring actors Harriet Walter and Stephen Boxer alongside historian Ophelia Field. Exploring Godfrey Kneller’s portraits of the Kit-Cat Club, the event revealed how Vanbrugh’s connections within this influential circle helped launch his architectural career, leading to commissions including Castle Howard and Blenheim Palace. Readings of correspondence between Vanbrugh and Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, brought to life the tensions, ambitions and competing artistic visions behind the construction of Blenheim, offering audiences a fascinating insight into the man behind some of Britain’s most celebrated Baroque buildings.
As part of Kimbolton Castle’s Vanbrugh300 Weekend, visitors enjoyed a programme of activities celebrating Sir John Vanbrugh’s architectural legacy and the castle’s rich history. On Saturday, local Girlguiding groups took part in a series of Vanbrugh-inspired activities, including an interactive tour, drama and craft workshops, live storytelling and the creation of wearable architecture. On Sunday, visitors explored the magnificent state rooms on a self-guided tour, including the Queen’s Room, where Katherine of Aragon died in 1536. Along the way, they discovered stories spanning the castle’s medieval origins, the English Civil War, Vanbrugh’s ambitious rebuilding project and even its resident ghosts, bringing centuries of history to life.
