A scene straight out of fairy tales of yore — that is the Cotswolds, one of the most beautiful districts in the world. Located in central southwest England, 80 miles from London, the Cotswolds is easily accessible, which makes it an ideal getaway for day trippers.

And what better way to spend an entire afternoon in spring than its hidden gem, the Sudeley Castle and Gardens?

Spanning 1,200 acres, the expansive estate of open fields and woodlands is nearby Winchcombe in the county of Gloucestershire and claims pride over a millennium of history.

The castle, in fact, was transformed by King Charles I into a military fort in the first English Civil War in 1642. It later fell into a state of disrepair until 1837, when it was purchased by wealthy Worcester glove-makers, brothers John and William Dent, who retrofitted the property into their own family abode.

Nestled in the grounds was the Tithe Barn, which stored the collection of compulsory payments in the form of livestock and produce to the church.