A PROGRAMME of tours for school children has won a stately home a top honour for excellence in education. In a ceremony last week at Edinburgh Castle, Knebworth House accepted the 2006 Sandford Award for its popular Tudor Treasure Trail activity days for

A PROGRAMME of tours for school children has won a stately home a top honour for excellence in education.

In a ceremony last week at Edinburgh Castle, Knebworth House accepted the 2006 Sandford Award for its popular Tudor Treasure Trail activity days for seven to 11-year-olds.

More than 5,000 school children each year go on one of the house's tours, which were developed through the Knebworth House Education and Preservation Trust.

A Victorian tour redeveloped in a similar style to the Tudor one is to be launched for the 2007 season following a successful trial this year.

The award was accepted by Knebworth education officer Juliet Alexander, and David Morgan, chairman of Knebworth House Education and Preservation Trust.

Ms Alexander said: "It is hard to believe when you look at the ornate gothic facade of Knebworth House today that the building started life in 1490 as a red brick Tudor manor house.

"Using first-hand source material from the structure and its extensive grounds, the Tudor Treasure Trail gives children and teachers the opportunity to search for clues to Knebworth's Tudor origins with a range of individual hands-on activities combined with cross-curricular problem-solving tasks to complete as a team."

The Sandford Awards, made annually through the Heritage Education Trust, are non-competitive and recognise the provision of excellence in education in and about historic sites.

For further details about Knebworth House, call the estate office on 01438 812661, or visit the website at www.knebworthhouse.com