Cowdray Heritage Site, known locally as “The Ruins”, is now open to the public for guided tours, which will continue until Sunday, September 16.

The site was once home to one of England’s most important early Tudor houses, known to have been visited by both King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I.

But in September 1793, while undergoing repairs and refurbishments for the impending marriage of the 8th Viscount Montague, a devastating fire took hold and most of the property was destroyed.

The Kitchen Tower is the only part of the mansion to remain intact.

Sally Guile, operations manager of the Cowdray Heritage Site, said: “We are extremely pleased to be able to offer visitors the opportunity to have a guided tour and to find out more about the history of this important site.

“Following a building survey earlier in the year, small areas of the site are unable to be opened to the public.

“Rather than disappoint our visitors a curated tour around carefully-selected areas of the site has been devised. These areas include the amazing Tudor kitchen, and the remaining tower at Cowdray.”

The tours are held on Tuesday and Sunday mornings as well as on Thursday afternoons. The 45-minute tour costs £4.50 per person and must be booked and paid for in advance via the Cowdray website www.cowdray.co.uk/historic-cowdray.

Anyone over the age of 13 is welcome, and up to 12 people can be accommodated.