Last week for free entry to National Trust site

Coughton Court has been owned by the National Trust since 1946

A Tudor country house is to close for the winter ahead of a change in its management, affecting National Trust members.

Coughton Court, in Alcester, Warwickshire, which is managed by the National Trust, will be closed to visitors from 3 November until early 2026.

The charity is set to hand over management of the site to the Throckmorton family when it reopens, who it said would then decide on any admission charges or opening times.

As a result, trust members, who can currently visit Coughton Court free of charge, may have to pay for entry.

The Throckmorton family has lived at Coughton Court for six centuries

"As with previous years, Coughton Court in Warwickshire will be closed to visitors over the winter," a spokesperson for the National Trust said.

"When Coughton reopens in 2026, it will be under the management of the Throckmorton family, and it will be the family's decision when the property is open to the public and any admission charges or requirements," they added.

"The property will no longer be part of the National Trust member offer. However, we are working closely with the family and hope that they will consider some concessions to members."

The change in management has resulted in upset on social media, with some people on Facebook stating they would no longer be visiting the site if National Trust members were charged for admission.

One volunteer previously told the BBC he was "disappointed" trust members would no longer be able to visit for free.

While the property is still managed by the charity, members can visit the site every day up to and including 2 November, a spokesperson said.

Opening times and details of half-term activities will be published on the website, the trust added.

The Throckmortons have lived at Coughton Court for more than 600 years but in 1946 transferred ownership of the property to the National Trust.

A 300-year hereditary lease grants the family the right to live at the property and to manage it as a visitor attraction.

A management agreement was put in place in 2005, with the National Trust taking on the operational running of the property until the Throckmorton family resumes day-to-day management of the property in February 2026.