As we head into the summer holidays, we’re turning back time to the early 20th century to explore the world with a very well-heeled couple.

Stephen and Virginia Courtauld lived at Eltham Palace in southeast London, but when they weren’t in residence, which was often during the British winter, they could be found cruising the world in luxury on board ocean-going liners or their own private yacht. And their well-documented travels provide a fascinating insight into the lifestyles of the 1930s wealthy elite and an era before commercial flights had gone mainstream. Taking a trip with us — and the Courtaulds — is English Heritage’s properties historians team leader Dr Andrew Hann.

To read more about the Courtauld’s travels, go to https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/courtaulds-cruises

To read more about Eltham Palace or plan a visit, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/eltham.