Ashland - The Henry Clay Estate

Really cute space- but NOT Henry Clay's home. They do take AAA discounts and student discounts for admission. It was his son who tore the house down and rebuilt it. The guide spent 20 minutes of us just standing in the entry way giving is history. I recommend they put that on video for folks to watch so we don't have to just stand as they take up time rambling on. I could hear others in the group talking and meandering and the guide doesn't get that talking gets old after about 7 minutes. Each room had neat stuff- but again this isn't a history Chanel show that I'm watching and because of the small space can't even see the faces of the folks mentioned. If someone has to use the restroom they have to be escorted through the house and we had 2 in our group that needed restrooms at about the 1 hour mark: which meant they had to call someone each time. Our guide was a little overzealous and mentioned numerous times she was "worried" something would be ruined on the tour. If you need an elevator there is not one and the steps in and out are old and somewhat steep in spots. Some items are said to belong to Henry, and they kept mentioning enslaved . A nice pics of history. Glad I got discount tickets. Not worth $25 adult price within a discount though. Grounds are lovely.

This place is a real gem, with a beautiful garden and a peaceful area for relaxation amidst the trees. There’s a small parking lot, a gift shop, and a cafe all nestled in historic buildings on the estate. It seems like the main house is only accessible during tours. The garden was absolutely lovely and well-maintained, with plenty of benches to sit and enjoy the estate’s beauty.

Wonderful tour. Our guide, a volunteer, clearly loved what she was doing. You could see that she was very proud of Henry Clay as an important statesman in the history of the United States. She was so full of knowledge about his life and the artifacts we were looking at, I left feeling like I knew a lot more about the Clay family. It was a great stop to make in Lexington. The gardens were absolutely gorgeous. The only thing I would suggest to future visitors, is to check the tour time schedule. They aren’t very often and I had to wait for about an hour to start my tour.

This is the beat historical home museum in Lexington! The tour was a well done and the guide was very knowledgeable. Henry Clay was quite the statesman. There's an indoors guided tour as well as a large outdoors green to venture out in.

We visited on 5/29 around 2-4p. Lady at ticket area was a bit snooty and curt in her demeanor as all four of us in our small group confirmed afterwards. Pricey IMO ($25). No discounts offered other than AAA members. Our tour guide was awesome!

Visited for a bourbon tasting. The food and drinks from The Commonwealth Bash are not standard here of course but it is a beautiful spot with a lot of history. The huge trees are beautiful too and it’s a nice shady area

The manor & estate is in good condition & everything is labeled well. The tour ticket price is a bit steep, but our guide provided an abundance of information on the Clay family. They are also cognizant of the role enslaved people played in the estate & provide information on their contributions.

This was a great addition to our Lexington trip! The history was interesting, and our tour guide Marilyn really brought it to life. She was very knowledgeable and did a good job highlighting both the positive and negative history associated with the estate. The architecture and interiors of the home were beautiful.

Beautiful historical site and incredible grounds. We went for the Signature Tour and were not disappointed. The docent was very knowledgeable about Henry Clay and the history of the estate as well as American political history. The tour was supposed to last an hour but it was more like one hour and twenty minutes. Nothing was hurried. Tip: the tour does include some rooms in the house, and you are free to walk all through the grounds and gardens before and afterwards. For anyone with mobility challenges, you can ask your docent for a chair in some of the rooms. While there is not a lot of walking on the tour itself, there is a lot of standing, so be prepared to wear comfortable shoes etc.

It's been years since I've visited the interior of Ashland, but I have to say, regardless the garden is a highlight of the estate, with its meticulously maintained paths, flowerbeds, and water features. It's a lovely place to wander and relax, with plenty of benches and shaded areas to take in the beauty of the surroundings. The garden also features several commemorative statues and markers that pay tribute to Henry Clay's legacy. My favorite time of year is Spring, when the Ashland Peonies are in bloom! This is such a beautiful spot for an evening walk!

A great historical site. I've been to numerous historical homes and this was one of my favorites. The condition and decor of the home is excellent. Our docent, William, was informative and very knowledgeable, even providing detailed answers to all questions. If you're a fan of Henry Clay or American history then make this a stop on your visit in Lexington.

Beautiful area and love the preservation of the estate. It's also nice to know that they do not hide the fact that this guy was a slave owner and that he's not over glorified.

We learned a great deal about Henry Clay and his importance in the history of our country touring his estate. The tour is focused on Henry Clay's life and our excellent guide did a wonderful job. The house is beautiful and the grounds are lovely with a number of out buildings of interest. There is also a small gift shop which is very nice.

I have always wanted to see this house and grounds but have never made the effort until today. I was greeted by one of the employees as I was walking through the parking lot who was nice enough to tell me about the loop video and the gift shop. As I was walking towards the ice house this gentleman and his dog Maggie May started telling me about the ice house and how they would go to the river and chop ice blocks and bring them back to the ice house. The garden was like sensory overload for me I wasn't sure which way to go first ! I ended up going to the left and just walked around and stopped to look at the scenery. It felt like the secret garden. Once your there it just feels like you're so far removed from downtown Lexington. I didn't see any birds, I did see some chipmunks racing around though lol. It's definitely one of those hidden gems, I think everyone should go at least once !

I visited Lexington with a friend this past weekend, and Ashland was our main historical stop during our visit. While the tour was interesting and the house beautiful, the tour felt a bit slow and a bit long. I appreciated that they spent some time on the tour talking about the slaves who worked at Ashland (and Henry Clay's complicated legacy on slavery and the strange gradual emancipation of slaves contained in his will), because I'm never comfortable talking a tour of a plantation or plantation house if they only discuss the lives of the people who lived inside the home but ignore the uglier parts of that history. But the tour seemed a little disjointed (moving back and forth in a time that I found confusing as a person that didn't know that much about Henry Clay or his descendants). Worth visiting, but wasn't a highlight of my weekend in Lexington.

Lovely little place that not many people realize its existence. Their garden is beautiful especially during early spring-summer. I enjoy visiting there for a short walk with friends with a cup of tea in one hand or for a picnic. Nice breath of fresh air and such healing hundreds years old trees. Central Park of Lexington

Had a wonderful tour led by Steve today! He was super knowledgeable about the Clay house, grounds, and family members! I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Henry Clay, he was quite the statesman, and seeing many of his personal artifacts. The woman selling the tickets was very nice too. Unfortunately the grounds (17 acres) have 20 felled trees due to a recent wind storm but crews are working to clean everything up and the house and buildings were u touched. Looked like the garden was being tended by another crew today so I didn't tour it. If you're in Lexington seek out this historical site!

We stopped by for a short visit on our way through town and had an exceptionally pleasant time. The grounds are worth a visit in and of themselves, and we actually didn't even make it into the house. There's plenty to walk around and see outside, and they have several interpretive signs posted throughout the extensive grounds. In fall it was gorgeous with the impressive ginkos, but i think spring would be equally as beautiful in their rose garden. I think we will likely come back for the house tour when we have more time.

I haven't done any of the tours, but love how beautiful and peaceful the grounds are, and it's wonderful that they are open to the public. It's tucked away close to downtown, but feels very secluded. I love bringing my kids here to have a picnic and play, and it's also a perfect place to bring a coffee and read or get some work done. The garden has pretty limited hours, which seems odd, and there have been several times that it is locked despite the sign indicating that it's open, so that's all that keeps it from being 5 stars. I hope to take a tour at some point, but it's a great spot even without that component. The gift shop with many Kentucky Proud items is a nice addition as well and makes it a fun place to bring visitors.

Gorgeous, historic home and gardens nestled in a neighborhood close to downtown. Ashland offers a glimpse back in time at KY in the 19th century (since the original 18th c house was rebuilt in a more modern style after starting to deteriorate). Docents lead paid tours on the hour which are quite informative. The house is lovely and almost all the furniture and decor in the house are original to the family which is incredible since it was sold off and became a school for many years. The stairs can be difficult for some visitors as can the standing for the 60 minute tour. The building didn't appear to be fully, handicapped accessible. The outbuildings and gardens are my favorite parts of the property. You can pack a picnic and visit these for free during daylight hours. There is also a cafe on site that's open seasonally.

Kentucky statesman Henry Clay built his mansion, Ashland, in 1812 on ~650 acres in Lexington. Clay served as a U.S. Senator from Kentucky, Speaker of the House, Secretary of State, and led 3 unsuccessful bids for President. His beautiful mansion has a Georgian style entrance with two large wings giving the mansion perfect symmetry. The house remains in its glory after renovations (hour long tours for $15) and extensive work by local master gardeners. Enjoy Clays beautiful walking paths on 20 of the original acres that are meticulously maintained. The original smokehouse, dairy cellar, and ice houses are also on the premises as well as Clays carriage that carried him back and forth from Lexington to Wash DC. A great neighborhood park with a glorious mansion and a lot of history.

Interesting tour. Sadly it was raining on our tour day, which dampened it a bit. I would say the house tour was not quite worth the money. It wasn't interesting for someone that didn't know a dang thing about Henry Clay to begin with. The tour was more about him, and less about the house.

Beautiful inside and out. The garden is stunning when in full bloom, and the home tour is something every Lexingtonian should experience at least once. A lot has been done to make the grounds more appealing in recent years, including all the giant steel sculptures, mulched walking paths, and other interesting art and exhibits. They've also tried to attract different markets and age groups by offering events such as yoga on the lawn. The employees are not the nicest you've ever encountered, which has dissuaded me from taking others on the tour, but there's so much to see that one aspect shouldn't deter you. The grounds have lots of historic aspects, too.

This is a great house tour. The tour guide was knowledgeable about the property, and the property is just beautiful. It is worth the trip.

As with all of these historic home tours, the guide adds the living to the "living history museum." Our guide, Jack, did a great job telling us about Henry Clay and his home as he led us through the estate. Henry Clay was known as both "The Great Orator" and the "The Great Compromiser." It's said that he prevented the Civil War from happening three times. He was more interesting than your average politician. He had his own fan clubs. In the house you can even see some memorabilia that was created in his time (walking stick with his head on the top). He ran for president three times and it was a shock to him and many others every time that he lost. The house is lovely, it's worth taking a visit to see and learn more the man Abraham Lincoln called "his beau ideal of a statesman." My advice to come on a nice day so that you have time to explore the ice house, carriage, and grounds. Unfortunately we came on a dreary day and it was too rainy and cold to do much exploring.

This is an underrated, hidden gem in Lexington. Why so many Lexingtonians have lived here their entire lives and never been there, is beyond me. I was one of those though. Touring a house and learning it's owners history, really didn't interest me. It's so much more than that though. The garden and the lawn are picturesque. They host weddings, photo shoots and several Ashland Estate charity events throughout the year. The house is a miniature version of the Biltmore. You tour each room and learn history at the same time, just the same as the Biltmore. So, if you've passed this beautiful place thousands of time while driving down Richmond Road and wondered what it's like, I highly encourage you stop in, have a picnic on the lawn on a beautiful day in the beautiful bluegrass.

You've driven up Richmond Road and passed it enumerable times. Take a detour and visit this lovely historic home. Walk the grounds and, during warmer months, take a picnic lunch. So much Lexington history here. Imagine, as your docent leads your tour, what it was like to live in the Bluegrass during that time. A worthwhile stop on a tour of our historical homes

The estate is beautiful and they have good tours with great stories about artifacts. The cafe outside is a must stop (not actually run by the estate) and the gift shop inside has nice items.

What a great house tour. It was very reasonable prices to go through it. The house was gorgeous. The staff was very nice. The tour guide was great at describing exactly who Henry Clay was. She also let us ask questions whenever we had one. The rooms are uniquely designed to how it would have been in the old time. I would definently recommend this place to anyone.

We didn't get time to go on the tour, but the area is beautiful! Tours are $15 for adults and $7 for students, according to the woman in the very cute gift shop. Only didn't give it a 5 because I don't know how tours were. There's also a cafe in one of the old buildings on his property!

This is a must see if you're in the Bluegrass! Quite honestly, I wasn't too excited to see this house when I first went---because as someone that received my BA and MA in history, I was sick of hearing about Henry Clay and how awesome he was. And frankly, I like Andrew Jackson more (yes, Jackson was a "jerk" and was Clay's rival). I digress. Definitely take time to watch the informational video prior to the tour. The video will help you enjoy the tour more with having the background information, and it's a lot more fun that listening to someone spout of names and dates. Ashland is beautiful 18-room mansion. I've been there three times, and every docent I've had has been very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. And, definitely check out the 6 outbuildings and walk through the gardens.

Visiting Ashland is a must for Lexingtonians and out of town visitors. The estate, outbuildings, gardens, and grounds are delightful. It is amazing this site is only 1 mile from downtown. I like to walk the grounds and gardens often. It is free to come stroll around. You'll see many walkers, runners, dog walkers. It is accessibly by car (lot, street parking on Sycamore Rd, Woodspoint Rd), foot, bike and Rt 11 Richmond Rd bus.

The Clay estate was absolutely gorgeous and well maintained. Inside was beautifully furnished and all the furniture was original as the estate has stayed within the Clay family. The docent was funny and confident and insightful. The only fault I found with the whole tour was the lack of discussion about slavery. There had been slaves on the property and an excavation of the grounds where the slave cabin was located. Ashland had a hemp farm and a there is a picture of Clay in his death bed with his trusted slave.... All the tour guide really mentioned was Clay supporting black people going to Africa to settle in Liberia. Also I know it was 95 degrees out but we never discussed the history of the buildings on the grounds of the estate.... Overall I enjoyed it but it could have been slightly improved upon. Maybe slavery was mentioned in the looped video they were showing at the end of the tour but I didn't stick around for that.

Visited on a very rainy June day. As such, it was challenging to read a lot of the outside information, but I managed to read some of it, and it was informative. Took the one-hour tour inside, which was neat. My wife and I were the only ones on the tour, which made for an intimate experience completely tailored to our questions. The guide was knowledgeable and answered our questions. He used a little bit of humor along the way, which was a nice touch. There's so much in every room that it's impossible to go over everything and have all of your questions answered. There was a nice little gift shop to visit at the end. I wish that I would have visited this estate in conjunction with the Mary Todd Lincoln House, as there are many interesting connections between Abraham Lincoln and Henry Clay. I highly recommend that you do so.

This place is amazing! Beautiful house and grounds with very knowledgeable staff that will take their time to answer questions and let you look. One thing I was disappointed with is not being able to take any photos (even without flash).

Wonderful place to visit to get some history! Very knowledgeable docent. We really enjoyed our tour and walking the grounds. It was amazing to think about how the Clay family lived so many years ago.

We learned quite a bit here. Just takes about an hour to do the tour and walk the beautiful grounds. The random corsets on display are a bit odd and don't really belong there. Other than that a nice experience for not too much money.

This place was amazing. Reasonable ticket prices, very knowledgable tour guide, fascinating history. If you enjoy history, architecture, and live in or are visiting the central Kentucky area, Ashland is a must-see, hands down. We had the privilege of being in a small tour group (4 people total) so we got to ask a lot of questions.

Absolutely beautiful. Had a great tour. Bill was our guide. I was full of knowledge by the time I left! I highly recommend.

We had a great tour here by Mark. He was really knowledgeable about the history of the estate and about Henry Clay. The tour was about an hour and if you're a fan of US history it is worth the time and money.

The man who was our docent for the tour was very knowledgeable, and the tour was interesting. The house tour was worth the $9 we paid (AAA discount). The grounds were also interesting, but on this dreary day we did not look around long.

Beautiful grounds. I love the house tour, it's very informative and interesting. Lots of cool features in the home!

My husband and I admit that the tour guide had alot of knowledge about Henry Clay but it was more than we desired to learn. He didn't know anything about the house or details about how they lived in the house. We also would have loved to learn more about the grounds as well. Overall, it was a beautiful house that is well maintained but we were kind of disappointed. The price was reasonable overall.