EastEast of of England England
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Lindisfarne Castle
Giant’s Causeway Carrick-a-Rede Cragside
Downhill Coleraine Demesne and Hezlett House Morpeth Wallington LONDONDERRY Blyth Seaton Delaval Hall Whitley Bay Tynemouth Newcastle Upon Tyne M2 Souter Lighthouse Jarrow and The Leas Ballymena Cherryburn Gateshead Gray’s Printing Larne Gibside Sunderland Press Carlisle Consett Washington Old Hall
Houghton le Spring M22 Patterson’s M6 Springhill Spade Mill Carrickfergus Durham M2 Newtownabbey Brandon Peterlee Wellbrook Cookstown Bangor Beetling Mill Wordsworth House Spennymoor Divis and the A1(M) Hartlepool BELFAST Black Mountain Newtownards Workington Bishop Auckland Mount Aira Force Appleby-in- Redcar and Ullswater Westmorland Stewart Stockton- Middlesbrough M1 Whitehaven on-Tees The Argory Strangford Ormesby Hall Craigavon Lough Darlington Ardress House Rowallane Sticklebarn and Whitby Castle Portadown Garden The Langdales Coole Castle Armagh Ward Wray Castle Florence Court Beatrix Potter Gallery M6 and Hawkshead Murlough Northallerton Crom Steam Yacht Gondola Hill Top Kendal Hawes Rievaulx Scarborough Sizergh Terrace Newry
Nunnington Hall Ulverston Ripon
Barrow-in-Furness Bridlington Fountains Abbey A1(M) Morecambe Lancaster Knaresborough Beningbrough Hall M6 Harrogate York Skipton Treasurer’s House Fleetwood Ilkley Middlethorpe Hall Keighley Yeadon Tadcaster Clitheroe Colne Beverley East Riddlesden Hall Shipley Blackpool Gawthorpe Hall Nelson Leeds Garforth M55 Selby Preston Burnley M621 Kingston Upon Hull M65 Accrington Bradford M62 Lytham St Anne's Castleford Blackburn Todmorden Halifax Rawtenstall Batley Leyland Brighouse M62 Pontefract Goole Rufford Old Hall Wa d Southport Nostell M18 Chorley M62 M6 M66 Thorne Immingham M61 Rochdale Hemsworth Scunthorpe Grimsby Ormskirk Bury M181 Standish M1 Cleethorpes Bolton Middleton Skelmersdale M60 M180 Barnsley M58 Wigan Oldham Doncaster Crosby Kirkby St Helens M62 Salford Manchester Bootle Stocksbridge M67 A1(M) Wallasey Sale Glossop Rotherham Liverpool M60 Gainsborough M60 Stockport M62 Dunham Massey Birkenhead Shef eld Buildings and Gardens Louth Bodysgallen Widnes Warrington Altrincham Quarry Llandudno M53 M56 Bank Mr Straw’s Coast and Countryside Holyhead Hall Runcorn Conwy Suspension Bridge Prestatyn Tatton Park M1 Worksop House Retford Colwyn Bay Speke Hall Wilmslow All places shown are listed in this Aberconwy House Rhyl Frodsham Knutsford Lyme M56 Nether Dron eld Staveley Conwy Abergele printed guide. Places in green have Ellesmere Port Alderley Mill Bangor Flint Northwich Clumber Park a limited offer, and are listed at the d Buxton Lincoln Plas Newydd Penrhyn M6 end of each section. Gunby Estate Castle Bodnant Garden Stainsby Mill Chester Congleton 0 10 20 miles Cross Mans eld Monksthorpe Chapel Biddulph Grange Matlock Hardwick Little Moreton Hall Garden Sutton in Ash eld 0 10 20 30 kilometers Leek The Workhouse Tattershall Tyˆ Mawr Crewe Kirkby in Kidsgrove Ash eld Newark-on-Trent Castle Wybrnant Nantwich Wrexham Ripley Newcastle- Belper Erddig Stoke-on-trent Ashbourne Hucknall under-Lyme East ofBoston Sheringham Park Kedleston Hall Ilkeston M1 Nottingham Chirk Castle Belton House Sudbury Derby Beeston Grantham Plas yn Stone Uttoxeter Felbrigg Hall Rhiw Hall Long Eaton England Oswestry Woolsthorpe Blickling Estate Burton upon Trent Spalding King's Stafford Melton Manor Loughborough Mowbray Lynn Newport Shugborough Estate M6 Calke Abbey Heigham Holmes Rugeley Attingham Ashby-de- Dereham Shrewsbury Park la-Zouch Sunnycroft Cannock d Coalville Wisbech Norwich Stamford Swaffham Great Yarmouth Telford M54 M6 M42 Elizabethan Powis Castle TOLL Brownhills Peckover Downham House Museum Wightwick Tamworth Leicester House Benthall Moseley Old Hall Peterborough Market Hall Manor Walsall Sutton Wolverhampton Hinckley March Oxburgh Hall Bridgnorth Lowestoft West Bromwich M6 M69 Carding Nuneaton Dudley Birmingham Mill Valley Market Corby and the Dudmaston Halesowen Birmingham Bedworth Back to Backs Harborough Thetford Aberystwyth Long Mynd Stourbridge M6 Lyveden M1 A1(M) Ely M5 Solihull M42 Coventry Kettering Kidderminster Mildenhall Packwood Baddesley Rugby Huntingdon M42 House Clinton Bromsgrove M45 St Ives Stourport- Wicken Fen Houghton Mill Bury Dunwich Heath Croft on-Severn M40 Wellingborough Castle M5 Redditch Leamington St Edmunds Warwick Spa Rushden Berrington Hall Droitwich Coughton Daventry Newmarket Theatre Royal Cambridge The Firs Court Northampton St Neots Llanerchaeron Hanbury Anglesey Abbey Stowmarket Hall Ickworth Stratford Charlecote Park M11 Brockhampton Worcester upon Avon Greyfriars’ House Canons Wimpole Estate Orford Farnborough Hall Ness The Fleece Ashby M1 Newport Bedford Melford Hall Great Malvern Pagnell Sutton Hoo Inn Biggleswade Lavenham Ipswich Croome Evesham Upton Haverhill The Weir House Sudbury Guildhall Hidcote Banbury Milton Dolaucothi Mines Garden Hereford Royston Stowe Keynes M1 Saffron Letchworth Walden Felixstowe Tewkesbury Dunstable A1(M) Harwich M50 Snowshill Manor Downs and the Flatford Claydon Leighton Whipsnade Hitchin M11 Grange Barn Chastleton House M40 Buzzard Estate Stevenage Bishop's Braintree Colchester Carmarthen M5 Cheltenham Bicester Ascott Stortford Gloucester Luton Paycocke’s Bourne Mill Dinefwr Shaw’s Corner Hat eld Forest House Abergavenny Chedworth Waddesdon Manor Welwyn Garden Ammanford Tring Ware Witham Clacton-on-Sea Colby Woodland Roman Villa Hemel City Witney Hertford Milford Garden Merthyr The Kymin Hartwell House Hempstead Harlow Haven St Albans Maldon T l d Chelmsford Stroud Oxford Thame Berkhamsted M1 Hoddesdon M5 Llanelli Aberdulais Aberdare Pontypool M40 Pembroke M4 Cirencester Buscot Park Amersham M25 Hughenden Watford En eld Tudor Merchant’s Abingdon M25 M11 Neath Cwmbran Chigwell House Swansea Chepstow Newark Park West Wycombe Park Barnet Brentwood Stackpole High Wycombe Fenton M25 Rayleigh Pontypridd M48 Didcot Port Talbot Caerphilly Nuf eld Place House Sutton House Newport Heelis Beacons eld Basildon Southend-on-Sea M4 Swindon Cliveden Eastbury Manor House Tredegar House M49 2 Willow Road Rainham Hall Canvey Island M4 Greys Court Slough Bridgend M4 M4 Porthcawl Cardiff M32 Tilbury Basildon Park Reading Windsor Osterley Park Sheerness Clevedon M5 Dyrham Park Runnymede and Margate Bristol Avebury Ankerwycke Ham House Red House Cobham Wood Dyffryn Gardens M4 Tyntes eld Staines Swanley Rochester Whitstable Lacock Newbury Gillingham Barry Sittingbourne Herne Bay Bath Claremont M25 Devizes M3 Garden The Homewood M20 Chatham Ramsgate Weston-super-Mare Prior Park Faversham Brean Down Epsom M2 Sandham Hatchlands Sevenoaks Knole Maidstone Trowbridge The Vyne Quebec Canterbury Memorial Park Leatherhead Stoneacre Basingstoke Box Hill M25 House Deal Chapel River Wey and Godalming Ightham Mote Reigate M20 Burnham-on-Sea Frome Navigations and Dapdune Wharf Guildford Polesden Emmetts Andover Chartwell Garden Tonbridge South Foreland Lighthouse Lundy Ilfracombe Minehead Warminster Shalford Lacey Dunster Castle Farnham Godalming Sissinghurst Ashford Winkworth Arboretum Mill M23 Castle Garden The White Cliffs Arlington Court Standen House Dover Dunster Coleridge Cottage M3 Alton East Grinstead Crawley Tunbridge M20 Watermill Bridgwater Stourhead Mompesson Winchester Oakhurst Wells Folkestone Barnstaple Fyne Court House City Mill Cottage Wakehurst Scotney Castle Hythe Crowborough Smallhythe Place Salisbury Winchester Woolbeding Horsham Bideford Lytes Cary Manor Gardens Nymans Taunton Mottisfont Petworth Shef eld Park Bodiam Castle Hinton Peters eld Romsey Haywards Lamb House M5 Tintinhull Garden Eastleigh Ampner Heath Bateman’s Knightshayes Yeovil Barrington Court Southampton Uppark House Montacute House A3(M) Tiverton Hailsham Hastings Lewes Hythe M27 Havant Chichester Monk’s House Killerton Fareham Bexhill-on-Sea Hove Brighton Kingston Lacy Fawley Worthing Alfriston Clergy House New Gosport Littlehampton Hardy’s Milton Lymington Cowes Portsmouth Bognor Bridport Cottage Christchurch Ryde Regis Finch Foundry Exeter M5 Poole Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters Sidmouth Dorchester Brownsea Island Bournemouth Newtown Newport Castle Drogo Max Gate Bembridge Windmill Tintagel Old Studland Bay Sandown Post Of ce A la Ronde The Lydford Gorge Corfe Castle Mottistone Shanklin Exmouth Weymouth Needles Dawlish Gardens Teignmouth Newton Abbot Bodmin Cotehele Compton Castle Buckland Abbey Torquay Newquay Lanhydrock Paignton Plymouth Saltash Brixham Antony Plympton Trerice St Austell Fowey Torpoint Greenway Saltram Coleton Fishacre East Pool Truro St Ives Mine Redruth Levant Mine Camborne Overbeck’s Trengwainton Trelissick Garden Penzance Godolphin Falmouth St Michael’s Helston Glendurgan Garden Mount Coaches: coach parking, 50 yards.
Visit: average duration is 3 hours. Welcome to Anglesey Abbey, site. Best summer month is June: herbaceous borders and Rose Garden in full bloom. December Gardens and Lode Mill offers festive food, gifts and decorative tree trail. Groups welcome on popular free public tours, Quy Road, Lode, Cambridge, book on arrival. Shop. Cambridgeshire CB25 9EJ Catering: restaurant with views over garden When you step into this elegant home, you journey (licensed), self-service, 160 covers. back to a golden age of country-house living. You can discover Lord Fairhaven’s extensive collection Group admission: £15 and how we care for it, then explore the domestic wing to see how the staff serving Lord Fairhaven ran his household like clockwork. The celebrated Anglesey Abbey M T W T F S S garden, with its sweeping avenues, classical statuary Garden, restaurant, shop and plant centre and flower borders, offers captivating views, vibrant 1 Jan–30 Mar 9:30–4:30* M T W T F S S colours and delicious scents whatever the season. 31 Mar–26 Oct 9:30–5:30* M T W T F S S Children can play, explore and discover nature in 27 Oct–31 Dec 9:30–4:30* M T W T F S S the Wildlife Discovery Area. A visit to the historic House working watermill on beautiful Quy Water will 1 Jan–30 Mar 11–4** M T W T F S S complete your day. Note: sorry, no group bookings 31 Mar–26 Oct 11–5** M T W T F S S available on Bank Holidays, weekends and during 27 Oct–31 Dec 11–4** M T W T F S S some school holidays. Lode Mill Open all year 10:30–3:30† . T W T F S S Garden best: all year. *Shop and plant centre: open at 10. **House: tours available before 11, last entry one hour before closing. †Lode Mill open Bank Holiday Mondays and Mondays during school What’s new in 2019? Throughout June Anglesey holidays. Everything closed 24 to 26 December. Abbey peels back the layers of history to celebrate 800 years since it started life as a priory; explore Access: s70 s77 s140 s67 s105s81s129s138 the tell-tale signs both inside and out. Abbey and mill s63 s66 s233 Domestic wing s64 s233 Contact: 01223 810080 or Grounds s64 s108 s8s59 [email protected]
nationaltrust.org.uk/groups 107 Blickling Estate Blickling, Aylsham, Norfolk NR11 6NF
You’ll never forget your first sight of Blickling, as the breathtaking Jacobean mansion comes into view flanked by magnificent yew hedging. This 1,821-hectare (4,500-acre) gift to the nation was bequeathed by its visionary owner, Lord Lothian, who hoped that his former home would continue Blickling Estate M T W T F S S to be a place ‘from which artistic endeavours House go forth’. We respect this wish as our journey 1 Jan–10 Mar 11–3:30 M T W T F S S into contemporary art continues. This year your 11 Mar–27 Oct 12–5 M T W T F S S support is helping to tackle some of the crucial 28 Oct–29 Nov 11–3:30 M T W T F S S conservation work needed to protect the most 30 Nov–20 Dec 11:30–6:30 M T W T F S S significant book collection held by the National 21 Dec–31 Dec* 11–3:30 M T W T F S S Trust and the Long Gallery that houses it. You’ll Garden, shop and cafés see this work happening as part of your visit. 1 Jan–10 Mar 10:30–4 M T W T F S S 11 Mar–27 Oct 10–5:30 M T W T F S S Garden best: all year. 28 Oct–29 Nov 10:30–4 M T W T F S S 30 Nov–20 Dec 11–7 M T W T F S S Contact: 01263 738030 or 21 Dec–31 Dec* 10:30–4 M T W T F S S [email protected] Park Open all year Dawn–dusk M T W T F S S Coaches: parking for 3 coaches, 400 yards from Last entry one hour before closing. *Closed 23, 24 and 25 entrance. Drop-off and turning point 75 yards December. Fishing all year, except 16 March to 15 June inclusive. from house entrance adjacent to disabled parking s70 s133 s140 s67 s105s81s141s129 area (approach with care, narrow lane). Access: House s63 s66 s110 s233s59 Gardens s64 s108 s8s59 Visit: average duration is 4 hours. Welcome to site. Guided tour£. Shop. Special interest tours Catering: The Stables café (licensed), 85 covers; Check website or call for details of all tours or talks Farmyard Café (licensed), outdoor seating only; Muddy Boots, 45 covers, all counter service. Conservation Tour New Sorry, no reservations or set menu. Public house Led by the house team, this tour will give you a (not National Trust). Designated picnic areas. unique insight into how the house is maintained and protected whilst ensuring it looks its best Group admission: £14 for visitors. The team will talk about current conservation projects and delve deeper into their daily specialist cleaning tasks.
Tour cost from £5 per person Duration 1 hour
Three centuries of inspired gardening Explore the glorious garden with one of our guides and gain a fascinating insight into the garden’s history and planting schemes as you take a look around the parterre, the 18th-century orangery, the double borders and the walled garden. Tours can be tailored to your group’s particular interests.
Tour cost from £5 per person Duration 1 hour 30 minutes
108 Please book all group visits, tours and catering directly with places Dunwich Heath and Beach Dunwich, Saxmundham, Suffolk
A precious landscape on the Suffolk coast, Dunwich Heath offers a true sense of being at one with nature. Located in the middle of an Dunwich Heath and Beach M T W T F S S Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, there is an 5 Jan–17 Feb 10–3 . . . . . S S abundance of wildlife, including rare birds such as 18 Feb–28 Feb 10–4 M T W T F S S the Dartford warbler and the mysterious nightjar. 1 Mar–21 Jul 10–5 M T W T F S S With a network of footpaths to explore, you can 22 Jul–1 Sep 9:30–5 M T W T F S S immerse yourself in nature with a walk on Dunwich 2 Sep–1 Nov 10–5 M T W T F S S Heath. There is also a variety of habitats, including 2 Nov–22 Dec 10–3 . . . . . S S heather heath, gorse tracks, open grassland and 26 Dec–31 Dec 10–3 M T . T F S S woodland, to discover, as well as a shingle beach Open 1 January, 10 to 3. Opening times vary according at the foot of the sandy cliffs.Note : opening hours to weather. may be adjusted during bad weather. Access: s70 s133 s140s67s105 Grounds s108 s8 Contact: 01728 648501 or [email protected] Special interest tours Coaches: parking for 3 coaches, 150 yards. Check website or call for details of all tours or talks Coach parking charge £35. Heathland discovery Visit: average duration is 3 hours. Guided tour£. An exploration of stunning lowland heath and Groups welcome, booking essential. Shop. beautiful beach that make up one of East Anglia’s most important nature conservation areas. Join Catering: tea-room (licensed), 40 covers your expert guide to walk by open tracts of in Coastguard Cottages plus outdoor heather and gorse, through shady woods and pass seating. Group catering requirements can be by sandy cliffs, as you learn about the rare wildlife. accommodated by arrangement. Tour cost from £10 per person Group admission: free of charge Duration 2 hours nationaltrust.org.uk/groups 109 Catering: Squire’s Pantry, self-service, 60 covers. Discuss and book with the catering manager on Felbrigg Hall, 01263 838237. Gardens and Estate Group admission: £11 Felbrigg, Norwich, Norfolk NR11 8PR Felbrigg Hall M T W T F S S House* 16 Feb–29 Mar 12–3 M T W T F S S 30 Mar–3 Nov 12–5 M T W T F S S Service Wing and garden* 5 Jan–10 Feb 11–3 . . . . . S S Service Wing* 9 Nov–29 Dec 11–3 . . . . . S S Shop and tea-room 5 Jan–10 Feb 10–3 . . . T F S S Garden, shop and tea-room 16 Feb–29 Mar** 11–3 M T W T F S S 30 Mar–3 Nov** 11–5 M T W T F S S 4 Nov–22 Dec** 11–3 M T W T F S S 28 Dec–29 Dec** 11–3 . . . . . S S Parkland Open all year Dawn–dusk M T W T F S S *Last entry to Service Wing and house one hour before closing; Service Wing opens at 11, housing temporary ‘Curious Cabinets’ installation. **Shop and tea-room open at 10.
Access: s70 s133 s140 s67s105s81s68s138 Hall s64 s59 Gardens s64 s108 s8s59
Atmospheric Felbrigg is a place of tranquillity. Special interest tours The Hall, which still contains its original Check website or call for details of all tours or talks collection, reflects the people who shaped it. A home to eight generations, it has more than A gardener’s delight 400 years of family stories to be discovered. The Take a guided tour around the 18th-century Service Wing houses a temporary exhibition of Walled Garden with one of our gardeners to give five curious cabinets, by theatre designer Gary you an informed visit to this plantsman’s delight. McCann. These allow visitors to view previously Discover the working dove-house, the vegetable unseen items in a new and unique way. Set in plot, herb border and old varieties of espaliered extensive parkland, with a working walled garden fruit trees, best seen between May and August. and dove-house, orangery, lake and miles of estate walks, all framed by Norfolk skies, Felbrigg Tour cost from £5 per person is the perfect place to escape and relax. Duration 1 hour 30 minutes
Garden best in: May–September. The grand tour Take a guided tour of the 18th-century Hall. Contact: 01263 837444 or Find out about the original contents within, the [email protected] families and characters who have lived here over the centuries and their treasures gathered on the Coaches: parking for 1 coach, 75 yards from Grand Tour. reception. Sat Navs please use postcode NR11 8PP. Tour cost from £5 per person Visit: average duration is 2 hours. Guided tour£. Duration 1 hour 30 minutes Out-of-hours tours£. We can accept small groups but the minimum group rate (for 15) will apply. Shop.
110 Please book all group visits, tours and catering directly with places Special interest tours Check website or call for details of all tours or talks Flatford Constable at Flatford Join one of our popular guided tours of Flatford East Bergholt, Suffolk CO7 6UL and discover the views which inspired the artist John Constable to paint Flatford Mill, The Hay Flatford lies at the heart of the Dedham Vale Area Wain and Boat-Building near Flatford. The tour of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This charming passes behind Flatford Mill, an area not normally hamlet was the inspiration for some of John open to visitors. Constable’s most famous paintings, including Tour cost from £3.50 per person The Hay Wain, Boat Building and Flatford Mill. The fascinating exhibition gives you an insight into Duration 1 hour Constable’s life and career whilst Bridge Cottage tells the story of the people who lived and worked at Flatford. You can explore the beautiful countryside on one of the circular walks or hire a boat and row along the River Stour. A visit to Flatford is a chance to walk in Constable’s footsteps! Note: no public access inside Flatford Mill, Valley Farm and Willy Lott’s House.
Contact: 01206 298260 or [email protected]
Coaches: no coach access to Bridge Cottage. Coaches use main car park, 150 yards from Bridge Cottage, charge applies £10. Drop-off point, transfer vehicle possible for those with limited mobility/wheelchair; request when booking.
Visit: average duration is 2 hours. Guided tour£. Shop.
Catering: riverside tea-room, assisted service, 50 covers and additional open-air seating. Sorry, no table reservations.
Group admission: free of charge
Flatford M T W T F S S 1 Jan–6 Jan 10–3 . T W T F S S 12 Jan–10 Feb 10–3 . . . . . S S 16 Feb–24 Feb 10–4 M T W T F S S 27 Feb–31 Mar 10–4 . . W T F S S 1 Apr–29 Sep 10–5 M T W T F S S 30 Sep–3 Nov 10–4 M T W T F S S 6 Nov–22 Dec* 10–3 . . W T F S S 27 Dec–31 Dec 10–3 M T . . F S S *Everything open 23 December, 10 to 3.
Access: s70 s133 s77 s140 s67s105s129s68s138 Bridge Cottage s64 s59 Grounds s66 s8 s59
nationaltrust.org.uk/groups 111 Catering: tea-room, 30 covers, in delightful riverside setting. Lunches from 12 to 2:30. Cream teas can be arranged for small groups with prior Houghton Mill and notice. Picnics allowed outside. Waterclose Meadows Group admission: £4.50 Houghton, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28 2AZ Houghton Mill M T W T F S S Mill Historic mill in an inspiring riverside setting 16 Mar–27 Oct 11–5 . . . . . S S surrounded by meadow walks. All the family 18 Mar–22 May 1–5 M T W . . . . can enjoy hands-on activities in the oldest 27 May–30 Aug 1–5 M T W T F . . working watermill on the Great Ouse. As well 2 Sep–23 Oct 1–5 M T W . . . . as seeing milling demonstrations, you can buy Tea-room flour, ground in the traditional way on our 4 Jan–15 Mar 10:30–3:30 . . . . F S S French burr millstones. 16 Mar–27 Oct 10:30–5 M T W T F S S 1 Nov–22 Dec 10:30–3:30 . . . . F S S Contact: 01480 499990 (mill). 01480 499996 Mill: open Bank Holiday Mondays and Good Friday, 11 to (campsite) or [email protected] 5. Waterclose Meadows Caravan and Campsite (National Trust): open 15 March to 27 October (01480 499996). Car park and riverside: close 8, or dusk if earlier. Coaches: drop-off point in Market Place. Important: coaches are not permitted in Mill Access: s70 s140 s67 s105 s81s22s141s129 Street, impossible to manoeuvre along this street. Mill s64 s59 Tea-room s66 Grounds s108 Nearest parking in lay-by on A1123 on St Ives side of Houghton.
Visit: average duration is 1 hour 45 minutes. Guided tour. Out-of-hours tours. Shop.
112 Please book all group visits, tours and catering directly with places Group admission: £13.40. Parkland and garden only £8.05. Normal admission applies at Ickworth weekends and Bank Holidays The Rotunda, Horringer, Bury St Edmunds, Ickworth M T W T F S S Suffolk IP29 5QE House 1 Jan–3 Mar* 11–3 M T W T F S S 4 Mar–3 Nov** 11–5 M T W T F S S 4 Nov–31 Dec* 11–3† M T W T F S S Gift shop and West Wing Café 1 Jan–3 Mar 10:30–4 M T W T F S S 4 Mar–3 Nov 10:30–5 M T W T F S S 4 Nov–31 Dec 10:30–4 M T W T F S S Porter’s Lodge outdoor café Open all year 10–5 M T W T F S S Plant and garden shop 4 Mar–8 Nov 11–5 M T W T F S S 9 Nov–29 Dec 12–3 . . . . . S S Italianate Garden Open all year 10:30–5:30 M T W T F S S An Italianate palace in the heart of an ancient deer *House: weekends access by tours only; Servants’ Quarters park. Formal gardens, pleasure grounds, rolling freeflow only at weekends. Last entry 2:30. Parkland, Italianate Garden, plant and garden shop and Porter’s Lodge Suffolk landscape and woodlands invite gentle outdoor café may close earlier in winter and adverse weather. strolls or long walks, runs, bike rides and picnics. Everything closed 24 and 25 December. **Limited opening The Italianate Garden mirrors the architecture may apply due to conservation and project works. Freeflow of the house and celebrates the Hervey from 12 to 4 (last entry to house at 3:15). Tours only 11 to 12 and 4 to 5. †Tours only during December weekends. family’s passion for Italy, while also encasing an idiosyncratic Victorian stumpery, contrasting light Access: s70 s133 s77 s140 s67s105s81s129s68 and shade. The Rotunda is home to one of the s66 s64 s110 s233s59 s66 s64 s110 s233s59 finest silver collections in Europe, family portraits House West Wing by Gainsborough and Reynolds, works by Titian Gronds s64 s108 s8s59 and Velázquez, and Neo-classical sculpture, including Flaxman’s Fury of Athamus. ‘Below Special interest tours stairs’, the servants’ quarters recreate domestic Check website or call for details of all tours or talks service through the stories and memories of those who lived here. Note: extensive conservation Origins of Ickworth tour New works from the summer. Discover the world outdoors and learn about Ickworth’s humble beginnings in medieval Garden best: all year. times to the grand garden and estate of the 20th century. Discover how the formal garden Contact: 01284 735270 or and pleasure grounds encircled by magnificent [email protected] parkland, slowly developed through the centuries.
Coaches: coaches park in main car park – please Tour cost from £3 per person follow directions given at welcome kiosk. Golf Duration 1 hour buggy service available all season. Do not use Sat Nav. Main entrance is via Horringer village. Ickworth state rooms: a glittering showcase This tour tells the story behind this extraordinary Visit: average duration is 4 hours 30 minutes. building and reveals the grand state rooms. Welcome to site. Guided tour£. Booked tours Learn more about Ickworth’s Regency furniture, only; available at all times except weekends and glittering chandeliers, paintings by Old Masters Bank Holidays. Shop. and rare porcelain – an intriguing glimpse into collecting and craftsmanship that highlights one Catering: West Wing café (licensed), 120 covers. of the finest collections in the Trust. Porter’s Lodge outdoor café and picnic area. Booked catering, table reservations not possible, Tour cost from £3 per person groups join freeflow. Duration 45 minutes nationaltrust.org.uk/groups 113 Group admission: £7.40
Lavenham Guildhall M T W T F S S Lavenham Guildhall 4 Jan–24 Feb 11–4 . . . . F S S Market Place, Lavenham, Sudbury, 1 Mar–31 Oct* 11–5 M T W T F S S Suffolk CO10 9QZ 1 Nov–23 Dec** 11–4 M . . . F S S *Tea-room and shop: open at 10. **6 to 8 December: museum closed for Lavenham Christmas Fair.
Access: s133 s67 s105 s81 s22s141s129s68s138 Guildhall s63 Garden s63 s64
Special interest tours Check website or call for details of all tours or talks
A walk around Lavenham Explore this remarkable Tudor village with a knowledgeable guide and learn about the cloth industry that turned Lavenham into one of the richest towns in the country. The streets are lined with spectaular timber-framed buildings and the tour can include the church of St Peter and St Paul if requested.
Tour cost from £5 per person The Guildhall of Corpus Christi is a remarkable Duration 1 hour 15 minutes medieval survivor at the centre of the village of Lavenham, remaining a constant presence over the past 500 years. When you step inside this complex of fine timber-framed buildings, you’ll feel the centuries melt away. You can discover the stories of the people who have lived and worked here, their highs and lows. From religious guild to workhouse, family home to nightclub, there is more than meets the eye. After your visit, why not explore the picturesque streets of Lavenham, lined with shops, galleries and more than 320 buildings of historic interest?
Garden best in: June.
Contact: 01787 247646 or [email protected]
Coaches: no coach parking. Drop-off point outside Swan Hotel, 200 yards. Nearest coach parking: Church Street car park, 800 yards. Sat Nav CO10 9SA.
Visit: average duration is 1 hour 30 minutes. Introductory talk. Out-of-hours tours£. Shop.
Catering: tea-room with assisted service, 45 covers. Groups can reserve tables for morning coffee (before 11), additional charge and booking required.
114 Please book all group visits, tours and catering directly with places Melford Hall Long Melford, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 9AA
Melford Hall has had its fair share of trials and tribulations, from being ransacked during the Civil War to being devastated by fire in 1942. It is thanks to the many generations who have left their mark that it continues to survive. This year we will concentrate on two strong women, Countess Rivers and Ulla, Lady Hyde Parker, who transformed Melford Hall in the 17th and 20th centuries respectively. It is their stories, Melford Hall M T W T F S S and those of Hyde Parker family life – from naval 3 Apr–3 Nov 12–5 . . W T F S S exploits to visits from their cousin Beatrix House: open 12 to 1, entry by short taster tour only; freeflow Potter – which make this house more than from 1. Open Bank Holiday Mondays and Good Friday. mere bricks and mortar. Access: s70 s133 s140 s67 s105s81s22s129s138 Garden best in: June–July. Building s63 s66 s233s59 Grounds s63 s66
Contact: 01787 376395 (Infoline). 01787 379228 or [email protected] Special interest tours Check website or call for details of all tours or talks Coaches: coaches use car park, 100 yards. Drop-off point outside house. An introduction to Melford Hall Melford Hall is a house of stories. This Visit: average duration is 2 hours 30 minutes. introduction will help you explore Melford’s Welcome to site. Introductory talk. Shop. transformation from hunting lodge to a wonderful family home. Hear all about its Catering: small tea-room, 45 covers, additional dramatic devastation in both 1642 and 1942, as tables outdoors. Tea-rooms within easy reach well as how it has been host to both Elizabeth I in village. and Beatrix Potter.
Group admission: £8.50 Tour cost free of charge Duration 15 minutes
nationaltrust.org.uk/groups 115 Group admission: please contact for details
Orford Ness M T W T F S S Orford Ness National 20 Apr–22 Jun 10–2 . . . . . S . 25 Jun–28 Sep 10–2 . T W T F S . Nature Reserve 5 Oct–26 Oct 10–2 . . . . . S . Orford Quay, Orford, Woodbridge, Access by National Trust ferry from Orford Quay. Boats cross to the Ness every 20 minutes, 10 to 2 only, returning Suffolk IP12 2NU regularly through day (last ferry back departs 5). Tickets limited, only available on day. Main visitor trail (Red Route) Suffolk’s secret coast – wild, remote, exposed. always available, other routes open seasonally. Also open Known as the ‘Island’, only reached by National Good Friday and Bank Holiday Sundays and Mondays Trust ferry, the Ness contains the ruined remnants (except 25 and 26 December and 1 and 2 January). of a disturbing past. Ranked among the most s133 s140s81 s63 s233 s63 s108 important shingle features in the world, rare and Access: Buildings Trails fragile wildlife thrives where weapons, including atomic bombs, were tested and perfected. Special interest tours Note: limited tickets. Steep, slippery steps, long Check website or call for details of all tours or talks distances. Hazardous debris. Limited access: ‘pagodas’ only on tours. Coastal wildlife and secret military history Orford Ness was one of the most secret military Contact: 01728 648024 (Infoline). 01394 450900 test sites in the country from the First World (office) or [email protected] War to the atomic age. Wildlife thrives where once deadly weapons were tested. We can tailor Coaches: parking in Riverside Car Park, Quay walking or trailer tours of this significant site to Street. Pay and display (not National Trust), 150 suit; duration and price will vary accordingly. yards to ferry at Orford Quay. Allow time for ferry crossing, 15 minutes each way per crossing Tour cost from £13 per person (12 passengers). Duration 3 hours
Visit: average duration is 3 hours. Introductory Photography tours talk. Guided tour£. Out-of-hours tours. Self-guided As a derelict former military test site, Orford Ness tour, standard routes (long distances), ferry access is dangerous and access is carefully managed charge. Guided trailer/walking tours: weekdays for safety. Our photography guides will carefully April to June and October, booking essential. supervise your group to provide the maximum Groups 12–24, larger groups by arrangement. possible access to get the pictures they desire. Duration up to 6 hours according to package. Subject to guide availability, 6 to 12 persons. Charges, duration will vary. Catering: no catering facility on site. Cafés, pubs and a hotel restaurant in the village. Tour cost from £60 per person Duration 6 hours
116 Please book all group visits, tours and catering directly with places Group admission: £10.80. Garden and estate only £5.40
Oxburgh Hall Oxburgh Hall M T W T F S S Oxborough, near Swaffham, Norfolk PE33 9PS House 5 Jan–27 Jan Tour** . . . . . S S 9 Feb–8 Mar 12–3* M T W T F S S 9 Mar–29 Sep 11–5* M T W T F S S 30 Sep–3 Nov 11–4* M T W T F S S 9 Nov–30 Nov Tour** . . . . . S S 7 Dec–15 Dec 11–4† . . . . . S S Garden, shop and tea-room 5 Jan–10 Feb 11–4 . . . . . S S 11 Feb–8 Mar 11–4 M T W T F S S 9 Mar–29 Sep 10:30–5 M T W T F S S 30 Sep–3 Nov 10:30–4 M T W T F S S 9 Nov–21 Dec 11–4 . . . . . S S *House: last entry 45 minutes before closing. **Guided tours only at 12 and 2, places limited. †Christmas event weekends, ground floor and gatehouse only. Major restoration work may affect opening hours from September.
Access: s70 s140 s67 s105 s81s22s141s129 Hall s63 s66 s233s59 Chapel s66 Garden s64 s108 s59
Built more than 500 years ago by the Bedingfeld family, who were persecuted for their Catholic faith, Oxburgh has survived turbulent times. Just like the 6th Baronet, we’re now embarking on an ambitious project to restore the roof, windows and chimneys. Inside, Victorian Gothic interiors reflect a romantic view of Oxburgh’s medieval past. Discover hidden doors, a secret priest’s hole and embroideries worked by Mary, Queen of Scots. The moated Hall is surrounded by gardens with seasonal interest, streams and woodland walks. Note: spiral staircase unsuitable for visitors with limited mobility. Low light levels in some rooms.
Garden best in: February–March, June–September.
Contact: 01366 328258 or [email protected]
Coaches: parking for 2 coaches, 20 yards from ticket office.
Visit: average duration is 3 hours 30 minutes. On-board coach welcome available. Garden tours available on most days. Room guides in show rooms. Shop.
Catering: tea-room (licensed) in Old Kitchen, assisted service, 50 covers. nationaltrust.org.uk/groups 117 Group admission: £7.80
Peckover House and Garden M T W T F S S Peckover House 12 Jan–17 Feb* 12–4 . . . . . S S 23 Feb–7 Apr** 11–4 M T W T . S S and Garden 8 Apr–21 Apr† 11–5 M T W T F S S North Brink, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire PE13 1JR 22 Apr–30 Jun† 11–5 M T W T . S S 1 Jul–7 Jul† 11–5 M T W T F S S While its riverside setting at Wisbech was popular 8 Jul–20 Oct† 11–5 M T W T . S S among merchants, imposing Peckover House 21 Oct–27 Oct† 11–4 M T W T F S S stood apart as an oasis of calm, reflecting the 2 Nov–17 Nov† 11–4 . . . . . S S Quaker way of life. The Peckovers were bankers 7 Dec–15 Dec†† 11–4 M T W T F S S and added a specially designed wing to the house; *Garden, tea-room and shop only open. **House: open by an exhibition tells its story. This year marks the timed tours only weekdays; freeflow at weekends. †House: open 12 to 4. ††Christmas celebration. centenary of Lord Peckover’s death, and we will be exploring his interests and passions, including Access: s133 s140 s67 s81s22s141s129 House s63 s59 his ‘Lost Library’. The Peckovers also loved their s64 s108 s8 garden; discover its delights as you explore the Garden unexpected 0.8 hectare (2 acres) of abundance.
Garden best in: May–September.
Contact: 01945 583463 or [email protected]
Coaches: drop-off point 10 yards from entrance. Nearest parking for coaches, 500 yards in Harecroft Road, use Sat Nav PE13 1RL.
Visit: average duration is 2 hours 30 minutes. Welcome to site. Introductory talk. Guided tour. Out-of-hours tours£. Shop. Special interest tours Catering: tea-room (licensed), assisted service, Check website or call for details of all tours or talks 70 covers. Set menu and out-of-hours catering available. Groups can reserve tables. The National Trust connection See two sites in a joint guided tour. Begin at Peckover House, exploring the Georgian town house and 0.8 hectare (two-acre) garden, then cross the River Nene to Octavia Hill’s Birthplace House, where there is a museum charting the work of this social pioneer and co-founder of the National Trust.
Tour cost from £18 per person Duration 4 hours
Twilight tour of the house and garden This private guided tour will lead you around this elegant Georgian home, revealing the secrets of the remarkable Quaker family who lived here for over 150 years, before taking you into the outstanding Victorian garden with its orangery, summerhouses, roses and thatched barn.
Tour cost from £14 per person Duration 2 hours
118 Please book all group visits, tours and catering directly with places Group admission: £7.30 (groups 10+)
Shaw’s Corner M T W T F S S Shaw’s Corner 23 Mar–27 Oct 12–5 . . W T F S S Ayot St Lawrence, near Welwyn, Open Bank Holiday Mondays. Hertfordshire AL6 9BX Access: s70 s22 s129 s68s138 House s63 s66s233 s59 George Bernard Shaw’s peaceful rural home and Grounds s63 s66 s59 garden show what inspired this great playwright. Pictures and sculpture reflect his wide circle of friends in theatre and the arts. See the writing hut where he created plays which won the Nobel Prize, an Oscar and the hearts of millions of admirers. Note: access roads very narrow. No access/ parking space for coaches, minibus parking only.
Contact: 01438 821968 (Infoline). 01438 820307 or [email protected]
Coaches: no access for coaches, minibus parking only.
Visit: average duration is 1 hour 30 minutes. Welcome to site. Introductory talk. Booked group visits (10+ people) available by appointment. Shop.
Catering: limited catering on site; tea, coffee and cake only. Call 01438 820250 to arrange catering at nearby Brocket Arms public house (not National Trust), 500 yards.
nationaltrust.org.uk/groups 119 Catering: Courtyard Café, counter service, 60 covers all outside (30 under cover). Sorry, no table reservations. Cream teas or packed lunches Sheringham Park can be provided by prior arrangement. Upper Sheringham, Norfolk NR26 8TL Group admission: free of charge
Utilising the park’s undulating landscape, Humphry Repton created views of the North Sheringham Park M T W T F S S Norfolk coast that can still be enjoyed today. Park His 1812 design stated ‘Sheringham Park had Open all year Dawn–dusk M T W T F S S more natural beauty and advantages than any Visitor centre and Courtyard Café place he had ever seen’. The Upcher family 5 Jan–3 Mar 11–4 . . . . . S S added an extensive rhododendron collection to 9 Mar–27 Oct 10–5 M T W T F S S Repton’s design, bringing an array of colour to 2 Nov–29 Dec 11–4 . . . . . S S the wild garden in the spring. A walk around the Courtyard Café opens 8:45 and visitor centre 9:30 on varying habitats of the 405-hectare (1,000-acre) Saturdays. Visitor centre and Courtyard Café: open daily, 10 to 5, 16 to 24 February; 11 to 4, 27 to 31 December; open to estate may be interrupted by the drumming of a 6, 25 to 27 May. woodpecker, the song of skylarks or the sound of a steam train travelling through the park. Access: s70 s77 s140 s67 s105s129s68s138 Note: Sheringham Hall is privately occupied. Building s64 s59 Grounds s66 s108 s8s59 April to September: limited access by written appointment with leaseholder. Special interest tours Garden best in: May–June. Check website or call for details of all tours or talks
Contact: 01263 820550 or Repton, rhododendrons and rare views [email protected] Enjoy coastal views created by landscape gardener Visitor Centre, Wood Farm, Upper Sheringham, Humphry Repton and discover the extensive plant Norfolk NR26 8TL collection, which includes a nationally important rhododendron collection. Flowering peaks from Coaches: limited parking, booked coaches only, mid-May to early June. Your guide will tell you 110 yards from visitor centre and facilities. about the history of the estate and how the plant collection became established here. Visit: average duration is 2 hours. Guided tour£. Out-of-hours tours£. Shop. Tour cost from £4.40 per person Duration 1 hour
120 Please book all group visits, tours and catering directly with places Sutton Hoo Sutton Hoo, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 3DJ
For 1,300 years its secrets were hidden deep within a burial mound, but on the eve of the Second World War a discovery that changed history was unearthed by archaeologists at Sutton Hoo. From the sandy soil emerged the outline of a 29-yard-long ship, its timbers long since rotted away, revealed to be the ship burial of an Anglo-Saxon king, complete with exquisite gold Group admission: £11.90 and silver treasures. Newly designed exhibitions, breathtaking replicas, the atmospheric Royal Burial Ground with new walking route and viewing Sutton Hoo M T W T F S S tower offering stunning views over the landscape 19 Apr–27 Oct 10–5 M T W T F S S all bring this fascinating story to life. Note: due to 28 Oct–23 Dec 10–4 M T W T F S S major transformation project, opening times may 26 Dec–31 Dec 10–4 M T . T F S S change (please check website before visiting). Due to major transformation project, opening times may change (please check website before visiting). What’s new in 2019? More of this historical s70 s133 s140 s67 s105s81s129s68 site is revealed with a full-scale sculpture of the Access: Anglo-Saxon ship; viewing tower among the Buildings s64 s59 Grounds s66 s108 s8s59 trees overlooking the Royal Burial Ground; new exhibitions and walking route. Special interest tours Check website or call for details of all tours or talks Contact: 01394 389700 or [email protected] Burial mound tour The secrets of Sutton Hoo can now be unearthed Coaches: parking for 4 coaches, 40 yards on this remarkable and exclusive tour of a unique from entrance. Anglo-Saxon burial ground. Let expert guides teach you about the importance of ship burials, and how Visit: average duration is 4 hours. Welcome and why the fabulous treasures discovered here lay to site. undisturbed for over a thousand years.
Catering: contemporary café (licensed), 90 Tour cost free of charge covers with outside verandah, open all day. Duration 1 hour Light lunches are served 11:30 to 2:30. nationaltrust.org.uk/groups 121 Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve Lode Lane, Wicken, Ely, Cambridgeshire
With vast skies above flowering meadows, sedge and reed-beds, Wicken Fen is a window onto a lost fenland landscape. A wealth of wildlife is at home in this important wetland, including rarities such as hen harriers and bitterns, numerous dragonflies, moths and wildfowl. The landscape feels wild, though people have managed it for years, as revealed by the fenman’s yard, windpump and cottage. The Wicken Fen Vision, an ambitious landscape-scale conservation project, is opening up new areas for wildlife and for you to explore. Wicken Fen M T W T F S S Grazing herds of Highland cattle and Konik ponies Reserve, visitor centre and shop help create a diverse range of new habitats. Open all year* 10–5** M T W T F S S Note: some paths are subject to seasonal closure. Café Café building work planned January to March. 1 Jan–17 Feb† 10–4:30 M T W T F S S 18 Feb–27 Oct† 10–5 M T W T F S S 28 Oct–31 Dec* 10–4:30 M T W T F S S *Closed 25 December. **Access to reserve dawn to dusk; visitor centre closes dusk in winter. †Alternative to café operating January to March.
Access: s70 s133 s140 s67 s105s81s68s138 Building s64 s59 Grounds s64 s59 Special interest tours Check website or call for details of all tours or talks
A ranger’s view of the fens Discover from a ranger what’s involved in looking after a lost landscape. We manage the Sedge Fen as it has been for centuries; other parts of the fen are at the cutting edge of nature conservation, with new ways of safeguarding the species of this Contact: 01353 720274 or precious wetland. Maximum 20 people. [email protected] Tour cost from £45 per group Coaches: coach parking in main car park, Duration 1 hour 30 minutes 120 yards from entrance. Waterways and wildlife Visit: average duration is 1 hour 30 minutes. A gentle boat ride through one of Britain’s oldest Introductory talk. Guided tour£. Out-of-hours nature reserves. Open boats were traditionally tours£. Groups can arrange exclusive hire of boat used to transport peat and sedge to surrounding for the ‘Waterways and wildlife’ tour. Shop. villages; today they provide a delightful way to travel through the landscape and discover some Catering: café overlooking the ancient fen, of the secret wildlife that makes its home here. assisted service, 30 covers. Private room and Maximum 12 people. out-of-hours catering available. Tour cost from £6.50 per person Group admission: £6.85 (groups 12+) Duration 1 hour
122 Please book all group visits, tours and catering directly with places Catering: Old Rectory Restaurant (licensed), self-service, 90 covers and 120 outside. Farm Wimpole Estate Café and Stable Kitchen, also self-service. Group admission: £16. Home Farrn and garden Arrington, Royston, Cambridgeshire SG8 0BW only £10.70. Sorry, no group discount available on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays A unique working estate, with an impressive mansion at its heart. Discover Wimpole’s acres of parkland, miles of walks, vibrant walled kitchen Wimpole Estate M T W T F S S garden and Home Farm. Explore the hall, where Garden, Old Rectory Restaurant and stable block intimate rooms contrast with beautiful Georgian 1 Jan–15 Feb 10–4 M T W T F S S interiors. With its various owners driven by 16 Feb–27 Oct 10–5 M T W T F S S passion and purpose, Wimpole is both a place to 28 Oct–31 Dec* 10–4 M T W T F S S escape to and a place to get involved. We continue Home Farm and Farm Café the 3rd Earl of Hardwicke’s passion for trail- 4 Jan–15 Feb* 10:30–3:30 M . . . F S S blazing food production and design, celebrating 16 Feb–27 Oct 10:30–5 M T W T F S S the estate’s past magnificence and echoing Elsie 28 Oct–30 Dec* 10:30–3:30 M . . . F S S Bambridge’s 20th-century revival. As owners Hall changed, a roll-call of ingenious architects, artists 16 Feb–27 Oct** 11–5 M T W T F S S and landscape designers shaped the estate. Park Wimpole is an ‘all-year-round’ place to visit, Open all year Dawn–dusk M T W T F S S reflecting the changing seasons, with something *Home Farm: open 1 to 4 January and 27 to 31 December to captivate and inspire all visitors. daily, 10:30 to 3:30. Estate: closes at 2, 24 December; closed 25 December; 26 December, only park and stable block (café and gift shops) open, 10 to 4. **Hall: open for tours January Garden best in: March–October. to February and November; freeflow for Wimpole Christmas weekends. Car park: open 7:30 to 6:30. Last entry to house : 01223 206000 or one hour before closing; last orders at catering outlets 30 Contact minutes before closing. [email protected] Access: s70 s133 s140 s67 s105s81s22s129s138 Coaches: coach parking on site, drop-off point 275 s63 s59 s64 s59 s64 s108 s8s59 yards from hall, garden entrance and restaurant. Hall Farm Gardens
Visit: average duration is 3 hours. Guided Special interest tours tour£. Shop. Check website or call for details of all tours or talks
Behind the garden wall A delightful behind-the-scenes guided tour of the gardens at Wimpole, including the Walled Kitchen Garden, abundant with seasonal fruit and vegetables. You will be expertly guided by one of our garden team, giving you the opportunity to take a look at the magnificent glasshouse, bothy and compost area.
Tour cost from £5 per person Duration 1 hour 30 minutes
Highlights of Wimpole Hall A private guided tour of the ground floor of Wimpole Hall in the company of one of our expert guides, giving your group highlights of the history of Wimpole and its owners. Includes the option to return on a self-guided visit of the whole house later in the day.
Tour cost from £5 per person Duration 45 minutes
nationaltrust.org.uk/groups 123 These properties have a limited offer for groups, but are well worth exploring for fascinating short visits that can be worked into your tour itinerary.
Bourne Mill Elizabethan Bourne Road, Colchester, Essex CO2 8RT House Museum Picturesque watermill with working waterwheel 4 South Quay, Great Yarmouth, in tranquil grounds. The ornate architecture Norfolk NR30 2QH reflects its early history as a banqueting lodge. Later the building became a fulling mill and then A 16th-century quayside home, set out to reflect a flour mill. Located beside a large pond, the day-to-day domestic life from Tudor to Victorian mill is surrounded by a delightful small garden. times. Note: managed by Norfolk Museums Note: there is no coach parking at Bourne Mill. Service. Discounted admission available for Coaches can drop-off, then park nearby in lay-by. booked groups only. No coach parking on site, use Beach Coach Park (100 spaces, charge applies). Contact: 01206 549799 or [email protected] Contact: 01493 855746 or [email protected]
Dunstable Downs and Grange Barn the Whipsnade Estate Grange Hill, Coggeshall, Colchester, near Dunstable, Bedfordshire Essex CO6 1RE
The Downs have so much to offer all year round. One of Europe’s oldest timber-framed buildings, The best kite-flying and picnicking site for miles Grange Barn stands as a lasting reminder of the around. A haven for wildlife; home to orchids, once-powerful Coggeshall Abbey. With oak pillars butterflies, birds and much more. Enjoy the soaring up to a cathedral-like roof, bearing the ever-changing view from the Chilterns Gateway weight of centuries, it was saved and restored in Centre with a refreshing drink or delicious meal. the 1980s. This 13th-century building has truly Note: Chilterns Gateway Centre is owned by stood the test of time. Note: admission by joint Central Bedfordshire Council and managed by the ticket with Paycocke’s House and Garden. National Trust. Toilets available only when the centre is open. Coach parking only Contact: 01376 562226 or by arrangement. [email protected]
Contact: 01582 500920 or [email protected]
124 Please book all group visits, tours and catering directly with places Hatfield Forest Paycocke’s House near Bishop’s Stortford, Essex and Garden When Henry I established a Royal Hunting Forest 25 West Street, Coggeshall, Colchester, here in 1100, he could little have guessed that Essex CO6 1NS almost a millennium later it would be the best survivor of its kind in the world. The ancient trees Exquisitely carved half-timbered Tudor cloth are managed using traditional techniques, and merchant’s house, with a beautiful and tranquil the forest is home to more than 3,500 species of cottage garden. Visitors can follow the house’s wildlife, including fallow deer descended from the changing fortune and see how it was saved from original herd. Explore the wide open plains, grazed demolition and restored to its former glory. You by Red Poll cows, or enjoy the shade of the coppice can discover five centuries of craftsmanship and woodland. With over 405 hectares (1,000 acres), conservation. Note: admission by joint ticket with there are many places for imaginative play or a spot Grange Barn. of quiet relaxation. Note: to protect the forest, the best time to visit is May to September. Parking Contact: 01376 561305 or charge applies for non-National Trust members. [email protected]
Contact: 01279 874040 (Infoline). 01279 870678 or [email protected] Hatfield Forest Estate Office, Takeley, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire CM22 6NE Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds Westgate Street, Bury St Edmunds, Heigham Holmes Suffolk IP33 1QR near Martham, Norfolk Last surviving Regency playhouse in Britain, this Grade I listed theatre offers a vibrant Remote island nature reserve, with grazing drama, music, dance and comedy programme. marshes and ditches, supporting the wildlife of Note: managed by Bury St Edmunds Theatre this internationally important and vast broadland Management Ltd. Groups (8+) are offered a landscape. Note: admission by guided visits only discount for performances (excluding panto). (booking essential), due to restricted access via Guided tours for larger groups can be arranged floating river crossing. Maximum group size 25. on request. Limited parking for minibuses, no coaches. Contact: 01284 769505 or Contact: 01263 740241 or [email protected] [email protected]
nationaltrust.org.uk/groups 125