Back in the early 1990s, two manor houses in Puddletown opened their doors to the public. We look back at the grandeur they offered.

In May 1991, Dawnay House, considered one of the grandest Dorset vicarages of its day, opened to the public, with owners charging just £2.40 for a peek inside the Georgian building.

Michael and Jackie Ridley, who were also the then-owners of the Dinosaur Museum in Dorchester, had bought the huge house to be their family home. On Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday afternoons throughout summer, the couple would transform the house into a typical country vicarage and open their doors.

They would place a model of Thomas Hardy in the front window of the Grade II listed property, marking the times when the author would visit the building. Adding to the atmosphere were ladies dressed in Edwardian clothes, while old artefacts, newspapers, pictures and ornaments were strewn around the home.

The house itself was named after Henry Dawnay, a vicar who was an intellectual of his time and carried out a social survey of the village. It remained the home of Puddletown vicars until it was sold to the Ridleys at the end of the 1970s, who then spent 12 years restoring the building to its former glory.

Does anyone know what became of Dawnay House? If so get in touch the usual way.

It certainly wasn't the only grand manor in Puddletown. 1991 also saw the opening of the nearby Ilsington House, owned by Peter and Penelope Duff since 1979, when it was on sale for £150,000.

Following the opening of Dawnay, Penelope said tourists began knocking on their door by mistake.

"In the end, we thought, why not open to the public," Penelope told the Dorset Evening Echo. "I have found I enjoy it, talking to people who are interested in the history of the house and its contents."

The couple shared the ambition of owning a country home dating from the 17th century onwards, and thanks to family investments were able to make this dream a reality.

"We looked around for a long time to find the right home, and as soon as we saw Ilsington we fell in love with it. It had been empty for two years, but immediately it felt right. It is pure William and Mary, and there are not many of those around."

Built in 1690, the house - now known as the Old Manor - is home to many secrets and scandals.

During the 17th century, King James I granted the manor to Henry Hastings, the second son of the Earl of Huntingdon. In 1724, it was passed into the hands of Robert Walpole, the second Earl of Orford and the son of England’s first Prime Minister.

Remaining in the Walpole family for many generations, the manor was leased to General Thomas Garth. In 1802, General Garth officially adopted the son of Princess Sophia - George III's grandson - who was born out of wedlock, a fact kept secret for 26 years.

The General gave him his own name, but 27 years later the boy sued the Royal Family for his birthright.

Open on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday afternoons, visitors were permitted to view the whole house, including the restored rooms and decor, plus a fascinating collection of paintings.

The couple owned the property until the late 1990s, when they moved to Bath. In 2009, the Echo reported that the couple had ended their lives together at a voluntary euthanasia centre in Switzerland, after both were diagnosed with terminal cancer.

The Prince of Wales was said to have sent a message of condolence to the couple's children after learning of Peter and Penelope's death.

A year later, the former Ilsington House and Estate was put on sale for £18 million. As a result of its sympathetic restoration and careful upgrading by several owners over the years, the property was award a Dorset Architectural Heritage Award, and now welcomes guests for holidays and residential stays.

Get in touch to share your memories of the magnificent manors.