HOLKHAM GAZETTE ISSUE 29 • SPRING 2019 First words New rooms unveiled Cover picture © Andy Bloomfield © picture Cover This issue of The Gazette has an emphasis on nature, wildlife and conservation and where Holkham positions itself as a leading rural estate in terms of conservation, farming, employment and development. Lord Leicester’s article makes for very interesting and in part, controversial reading. The success of the Spoonbill breeding colony on the Holkham National Nature Reserve is celebrated Holkham has opened two new rooms, the Old Servants’ Hall and the stunning with superb pictures by warden Andy Venetian Bedroom for visitors to look into for the first time. The Venetian Bedroom Bloomfield. There is also news of the will delight visitors and art lovers. The bedroom features tapestry panels and Easter celebrations and food fair, the historically important portraits. Guests of the Earl and Countess of Leicester often Great British Cycling Festival, which stay in this room with its Spanish travelling bed, rich gilt work and striking Venetian passes through Holkham in June and window overlooking the parkland to the north of the hall. so much more. The Old Servants’ Hall is home to an extensive natural history collection of Sara Phillips, Editor mostly local species, including birds, fish and mammals. Visitors can also see a large billiard table and Georgian furniture. The Old Servants’ Hall was last used by the lower servants as their dining room in 1942. Contents Fascinating glimpses of the hall’s hidden heart First words......................................................... 2 A history of Holkham in 50 objects................. 3 From April to October, there is also an opportunity to enjoy two fascinating and Conservation leads the way........................ 4 – 7 different behind the scenes tours, accompanied by an expert guide. Employment opportunities ............................... 8 On the Hidden Passages and Servants’ Stairs tour you can find out how the Introducing Katherine Hardwick ..................... 8 army of servants managed to flit between the grand state rooms without being Spoonbill success .............................................. 9 From young shoots... To a mature crop .. 10 – 11 seen and how they serviced the state bedchambers, where royalty slept. Visit the The Benjamin Foundation charity appeal ..... 12 tower rooms and attics where you can see what sits above the magnificent Hospitality in Action fundraising .................. 12 ceiling of the Marble Hall and hear how it was built. All the fun of the Country Fair ...................... 13 Just hangin’ around – new ropes course ......... 14 Cellar Tours of the hall will treat visitors to a glimpse of the warren of Easter fun and food......................................... 15 corridors and chambers serving the hub of the building, from the old bakery and Last words – Great British Cycling Festival... 16 the heating system, to the massive wood store, highlighting the vast amount of maintenance and machinery required to maintain this great house, both past www.holkham.co.uk and present. For more information and to book tickets visit www.holkham.co.uk © The Holkham Gazette 2019 Published by Coke Estates Limited Are you a local accommodation provider? Holkham Estate Office Why not come on a complimentary visit to see what we do as a visitor Wells-next-the-Sea attraction and how we can offer your guests a great day out. Are you Norfolk NR23 1AB interested? If so please email: [email protected] and we will be in touch. Telephone: 01328 710227 Please provide: owner’s or manager’s name, accommodation name, Next issue published Autumn 2019 accommodation address and your email address. 2 • Holkham Gazette A HISTORY OF Holkham IN 50 OBJECTS The head of a goddess History talk about Lucy Purvis introduces a statue of Roma, brought to Holkham by Edward Coke North Creake airfield Tucked away in the Marble Hall is a small head RAF North Creake airfield was built on of a goddess. One of the earliest pieces in both Holkham and Walsingham Estate land. the room, it is likely that this sculpture was During the Second World War, it was a large acquired by Edward Viscount Coke (1719- heavy bomber base and it has a fascinating 53), son of Thomas Coke, first Earl of secret history. Nigel Morter and Claire Leicester and builder of the hall. Like his Nugent, owners of The Control Tower Bed father, Edward completed his education & Breakfast at Egmere, have plans to raise with a Grand Tour of Europe, spending money for a memorial to the men and almost two years travelling in Italy with his women who served at RAF North Creake. tutor. Little archival evidence remains On Tuesday 16th April Nigel Morter will of his tour but as details of the head give a talk on the airfield in the Marble Hall at are included in ‘The Plans, Holkham. Tickets are £20 and include light Elevations and Sections of refreshments. They are available from The Control Holkham in Norfolk...’ by Matthew Tower by emailing [email protected] or Brettingham in 1773, and there is no from The Black Lion Hotel in Walsingham at the bar. account of it being purchased by him or Arrival from 6.30pm, free parking. Thomas Coke, it is most likely that Edward bought it in Italy. Chamber music concert This small masterpiece is the divine representation of the Romans. It is of the goddess Roma who wears her helmet showing her fortitude, though her femininity is seen in her smooth skin and wavy hair which is plaited at the back. Her aegis, or breastplate, is made from a thin layer of rosso antico, a type of special red marble reserved to make a dramatic impact. In the centre is the head of a Gorgon, commonly associated Doric String Quartet: Alex Redington and Ying Xue violin, with Zeus and Athena. It is her helmet that confirms her Hélène Clément viola, John Myerscough cello identity: the presence of lupa romana or the she-wolf and infant Firmly established at the pinnacle of the string quartet twins she raised, Romulus and Remus. Romulus went on to world, the Doric String Quartet has played in north found the city of Rome on Palatine Hill and the image of the Norfolk for 15 years, right from the start of their twins being suckled by the she-wolf is known universally as the career. They will be performing in the Marble Hall at symbol of the city. Holkham on Friday 3rd May at 7pm. The head of this Greek goddess was made in around 130-140 Their programme starts with two pithy 20th AD, when Roma was worshipped in a similar way to Athena century works; the 3rd String Quartet by Bohuslav (Minerva) who was worshipped in her temple, the Parthenon, Martinů, composed in the modernistic Paris of the in Athens. 1920s and Benjamin Britten’s startling ‘Divertimenti’ At Holkham Roma has always been on public display; in 1773 from the early 30s. These works are followed by she was recorded as being in the ante-room in Strangers’ Wing pieces by Beethoven and Mendelssohn. before moving to the Long Library in the 19th century. During Tickets: £28 – includes a glass of wine in the Saloon the 5th Earl’s time she was moved to the Marble Hall. This during the interval and an opportunity to view some magnificent space, which was inspired by the ruins of the of the other state rooms in the hall. Book online, or Temple of Venus and Roma, near the Forum in Rome, seems a telephone our ticket office on 01328 713111. fitting place for this sculpture. Spring 2019 • 3 Conservation leads the way for the whole estate Lord Leicester explains how conservation is at the forefront of Holkham’s aspirations for the future Ten years ago, shortly after he was appointed to take responsibility for Holkham Estate, David Horton-Fawkes and I worked hard on formulating a robust estate Strategy. It took time, and of course it continually needs updating. We also took the opportunity to address the management Structure of all departments. My final S was to establish high Standards throughout. While the estate strategy has been successfully disseminated to all Holkham employees, it dawned on me that each department or business also needed its own high level business strategy. Peter Mitchell’s appointment as the new managing director a year ago provided the perfect opportunity to put this into action. Indeed within two weeks of his arrival at Holkham I asked him to act as facilitator for our National Nature Reserve strategy away-day in the hall. This role would quickly bring him up to speed regarding the importance of the NNR within all Holkham activities. This lasted a little over 24 hours and involved our four members of the Advisory Board – Philip Merricks MBE, chairman of the Hawk and Owl Trust and the only other private individual running a National Nature Reserve – Elmley NNR on the north Kent coast; Richard Carden CB, DPhil, a keen ornithologist, ex-acting Permanent Under Secretary at MAFF (Ministry of Agriculture, Farming and Fisheries) the predecessor to DEFRA; Paul Dolman, Professor of Environmental Sciences at UEA and David Lyles, local farmer, conservationist and recipient of a number of awards for conservation from organisations such as Below: The Lookout on Lady Anne’s Drive FWAG (Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group). We were joined by Sarah Opposite: Holkham beach Dawkins, area manager for Natural England, and Sarah Henderson and her team of three wardens Andy Bloomfield, Paul Eele and Jonathan Holt. It was an extremely valuable exercise at which everyone’s input was welcomed, especially that of our wardens, those on the ground every day. Since that exercise in April 2018 we are very lucky to have also recruited Professor Rob Fuller, recently retired Science Director at leading conservation charity the British Trust for Ornithology, an organisation of which I am a life member.