Custodian entrepreneurship: an examination of entrepreneurial activities in English country houses

English country houses are unique institutions that form an essential fabric in the country’s landscape. They highlight British history and are a significant element in the country heritage sector. The literature on country houses has examined various facets of them but there is a scarcity of literature about the type of entrepreneurial activities that are being undertaken at the houses. By examining 68 English country houses, this paper explores their entrepreneurial activities and determines that they can be organized according to physical areas, products and services, users, stakeholders and tactics. A typology depicting the entrepreneurial activities of these houses has been developed. This study makes an original contribution to both theory and practice by introducing the innovative concept of “custodian entrepreneurship” and opening discussion about entrepreneurship in this distinctive part of the UK’s heritage sector.