Even modern homes feature in lists of heritage properties to visit, along side the established historic houses. Our coutry is blessed with thousands of fantastic houses and halls that are open to the public. For a very modest fee we can wander around – sometimes, and infinitely preferable, with a guide. These folk are experts at explaining various aspects about the property and can bring to life that odd looking tapestry up in the Green Bedroom, or the rather awkward looking portrait in the small Hall . . . . I have visited many such houses and as I help out by volunteering at a medium aged Hall, I now like to visit the more modern places just to bring myself up to date with what can be done to save them for the nation also. The architecture can sometimes jar on the senses but in every case, there is something very special or maybe even unique about the properties which have earmarked them for national interest. I’m personaly very grateful that we have such august heritage institutions – without them we would probably have no such properties to visit.