AS HER FAMILY HOME HAS A STARRING ROLE IN A NEW TELEVISION SERIES KAREN LOWTHER SHARES THE FASCINATING STORIES BEHIND ONE OF BRITAIN’S MOST HISTORIC HOUSES
‘It’s a privilege and huge responsibility to live in and look after such a historically important house that none of us – not James, nor I, nor any of the kids – will ever forget’
Sitting proudly on top of a hill at the end of a drive and surrounded by 2,000 acres of land in Northamptonshire is magnificent Holdenby House.
Once considered one of the most glittering estates in England, it’s now the family home of James and Karen Lowther, who have raised their children – Natasha, Jem, Mamie and Oona – in a place rich in history and warmth.
“Holdenby had a very friendly feeling to it the moment I arrived,” says Karen of the 75-room property, into which she moved 30 years ago when she married James. “The difference between a house and a home is the people who live in it.”
James was three when he came to live at Holdenby. Its past life included being used as a billet for troops in the Second World War.
“It was in pretty bad condition,” says James, a former chairman of advertising
