17/04/2026
Few places capture the layered story of Britain’s great houses quite like Elveden Hall — and on Saturday 13 June, it becomes the setting for a remarkable conversation at Stories of Guinness.
In Houses of Guinness, Ben Cowell, Director General of Historic Houses, sits down with architectural historian Adrian Tinniswood to explore the lives, legacies, and transformations of one of the most fascinating dynasties associated with the British and Irish country house tradition. Together, they trace how estates like Elveden are shaped not only by architecture, but by inheritance, ambition, and the shifting responsibilities of stewardship.
This conversation sits at the heart of a wider one-day festival — Stories of Guinness — which uses the history of the Guinness family and their Suffolk seat as a lens through which to examine bigger questions: inheritance, empire, land, and the evolving meaning of the great estate in modern life .
For Historic Houses audiences, it’s a rare opportunity to engage directly with the ideas that animate the sector today — how historic homes endure, adapt, and remain culturally alive.
Set within the extraordinary surroundings of Elveden Hall, the day unfolds through talks, tours, art, and performance — bringing together scholarship and lived history in a setting uniquely suited to both .
Join us for a day where the story of one house opens onto a much larger world.
🎟️ Book tickets: https://www.eafestival.com/stories-of-guinness
