Holkham Hall: A grand day out

As promised, we headed out early to Holkham Hall. My cousins had to leave in the afternoon, so we wanted to allow enough time to see something of the extensive grounds, lake, and deer park. I will add a link later, but for information, Holkham Hall is the home of Viscount Coke, son of the 7th Earl of Leicester. It is still privately owned and maintained, and considered to be one of the finest homes in the Palladian style still existing in Britain. The family are undoubtedly wealthy, as they own not only this huge property and its grounds, but also Holkham Beach, Holkham Village, and the entire town of Wells-Next-The-Sea, one mile east.

For the small fee of £2.50, you can park close to the Hall, and enjoy all the grounds and facilities, free of charge. Entry to the house, or a boat trip on the large lake, are available at additional cost. We knew that we would not have time to tour the house, which is very grand inside, but we could make the most of the grounds, with the benefit of excellent weather, once again. There is a nice cafe, a well-stocked gift shop, and all the usual toilet facilities. These are in the grounds, so accessible to all. The following photos are all large files, and can be clicked on, for detail.

The house in its setting. You can see what good condition it is in.

The original builder of the house, Thomas Coke, was a member of parliament, and a champion of modern methods of farming. When he died, his friends and colleagues raised the money to have this memorial column erected in the grounds, in his memory.

The main frontage of the house is huge, and surrounded by a brick balustrade. This was as close as I could get.

The family was wealthy enough to have an Ice House built in the grounds. Ice was imported from as far away as North America, and packed in snow, brought from Scotland and Switzerland.

We spent a very pleasant few hours there, and will go again, to see the interior. They are currently building a wedding venue, and the Hall is also the venue for popular events every year, including a food fair, and open-air concerts. Cycle hire is available, and there is a play area for children, as well as walled gardens to explore, for a small charge. If you are ever in this area, I really recommend that you visit this delightful slice of British history. If you would like to see and read more about it, including some better professional photographs, here is a link to the Hall’s website.

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