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Home  >  Blog  >  Mum’s gone to Oxburgh Hall

Mum’s gone to Oxburgh Hall

Trish Burgess Posted on17/04/201603/11/2016 Norfolk 29 Comments

Oxburgh Hall

After the great success of our day at Burghley House over Easter, Dougie and I have been inspired to continue with our new game of ‘where to go within an hour of Holbeach.’ It makes for great column material for my weekly stint in the Lincolnshire Free Press, even if I wander over county boundaries from time to time.

Oxburgh Hall was our latest find, a National Trust property a few miles south of King’s Lynn.  Built in 1482 by the Bedingfeld family, this splendid manor house is still home to the family (not Natasha and Daniel, in case you were wondering. No ‘i’). It’s a mix of medieval through to Victorian architecture, with many parts of the building having been altered over the centuries, but it is an imposing structure, surrounded by a moat and 28 hectares of gardens and woodlands.

The highlights of the house include hidden doors in the library, embroideries worked on by Mary, Queen of Scots while she was imprisoned in England and a very small priest’s hole used by the Catholic family in Elizabethan times to conceal persecuted priests. We peered into the hole but Dougie, initially gung ho about manoeuvring his way in, changed his mind as he realised that with his back, he might never get out again. “They were a lot smaller in those days,” he mused and we decided a climb up to the roof was more manageable for the old joints.

In the grounds, there is a formal parterre garden, a kitchen garden and a delightful woodland walk which was particularly pretty as the paths were lined with daffodils. We came across a den-building area where previous visitors had tried their hand at the craft. My own Bear Grylls fashioned a rudimentary wigwam out of fallen branches but it soon collapsed. He blamed it on his tools…

Oxburgh Hall woodland walk
Here’s one I made earlier…

As it was still the Easter holidays, a number of children were searching for tiny bunny rabbits inside the house and in the grounds. It took me back to the days when Rory would become so obsessed with children’s trails we would hardly have time to look around before he was urging us to move on to the next location to find a hidden clue. I smiled as I watched other parents having the same frantic experience.

Afternoon tea (or rather, lunchtime latte after a far too big breakfast) was excellent. Dougie declared his cheese scone to be even better than the one in Burghley House (he’s quite the connoisseur). There’s a second-hand bookshop that’s worth a rummage, plus  a gift shop selling plants and garden bits and bobs.

One of the best parts of the day was spent just soaking up the surprisingly warm sunshine. That’s just the kind of weather they need in the summer when there is an outdoor performance of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing by The Lord Chamberlain’s Men. They are a male-only touring group and you should be able to catch them around the country, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of The Bard’s death. Oxburgh Hall is the location on 14 July 2016.

Prices for Oxburgh Hall are £9.60 for adults (£4.80 child, family ticket £24). If you just want to enjoy the estate grounds the cost is £5.30 (£2.65 child, £13.25 family ticket)

**** Update October 2016 **** At present the hall, tearoom, gift shop and bookshop are temporarily closed whilst part of the hall undergoes repairs. Gardens are open as usual. Please check website for details.

Oxburgh Hall views
Views from the top of Oxburgh Hall

 

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29 Comments

  1. Nell@PigeonPairandMe.com Reply
    19/04/2016 at 10:31 am

    This sounds like a stunning backdrop for a Shakespeare performace. Thanks for the heads-up!

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      20/04/2016 at 10:38 am

      I think it will be perfect – fingers crossed for good weather!

      • Nell (the Pigeon Pair and Me) Reply
        11/10/2016 at 12:42 pm

        I wonder what the tearoom will be like when it re-opens. I do love a good National Trust tearoom! Thanks for linking up with #CulturedKids

        • Trish Burgess Reply
          16/10/2016 at 11:55 am

          I don’t think anything will change – it’s just closed for safety reasons while they do some repairs. Should be just as good when it’s safe to go back in.

  2. Emma Raphael Reply
    19/04/2016 at 9:01 pm

    I am so enjoying visiting all these beautiful properties through you Trish. I have to say that D obviously didn’t take his duck tape to the den building area, he would have been completely fine if he had! Love the new look, the blog looks FABULOUS! 🙂 xx

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      20/04/2016 at 10:39 am

      Of course – the duck tape!! The photo of him is a big cheat: someone else had created that one; his was about two feet tall and very sad.
      Glad you like the new look. It’s exciting to be in a fresh place. xx

  3. Janet Reply
    20/04/2016 at 12:04 am

    Love moated houses, that’s what I’d live in if I could, rheumatism be damned.

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      20/04/2016 at 10:41 am

      It was rather gorgeous, Janet. They say pleasure and suffering go hand in hand.

  4. susanna Reply
    20/04/2016 at 5:30 am

    Oooh, I’d love to visit! x

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      20/04/2016 at 10:41 am

      It was very beautiful – well worth remembering if you’re ever in Norfolk.

  5. Helen Wills Reply
    20/04/2016 at 2:14 pm

    I love the idea of where to go within an hour…. Might have to start one on my blog, though I’ll need to stipulate that it’s any direction but South, or I’ll spend all my time in London!
    Love a good National Trust visit.

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      24/04/2016 at 6:10 pm

      It’s amazing how many places we have found to visit: we were a bit blinkered as to what was on our own doorstep.

  6. Jody Brettkelly Reply
    21/04/2016 at 9:33 pm

    Like your snazzy new website!! Very impressive, and I note you are luxury travel , good on you!

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      24/04/2016 at 6:09 pm

      Thanks Jody – it’s been a long time coming!

  7. Sarah Christie Reply
    25/04/2016 at 9:11 pm

    Oh I love Much Ado About Nothing I would love to see that, what an incredible building its one of those place you want to go alone with a camera x

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      27/04/2016 at 1:40 pm

      It’s the perfect setting for a bit of Shakespeare and yes, one of those places where you can find a great shot wherever you happen to be on the estate.

  8. K.D. Jennings Reply
    18/05/2016 at 8:10 pm

    The perfect place to see Much Ado About Nothing, wish I lived closer!
    Love the pic taken through the arrow slit. xx

  9. Cathy (Mummytravels) Reply
    07/10/2016 at 10:34 pm

    What a lovely idea of searching out places within an hour’s radius – I wonder what I might find. This certainly sounds a lovely one although I suspect I’d be racing after my mini trail enthusiast as she tried to spot this and that. #culturedkids

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      08/10/2016 at 12:20 pm

      It works really well . Sometimes just going in a different direction to normal helps you find undiscovered places.
      I think you would be kept busy. I can just sit on a bench and watch all the other parents!

  10. tots2travel Reply
    08/10/2016 at 7:21 pm

    I do occasionally wonder if there’s a house that Mary Queen of Scots hasn’t visited but it’s true she had a very hectic life. Great spot and another great National Trust find.

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      08/10/2016 at 11:40 pm

      Ha! That made me laugh. Do you think she did embroidery every place she went?

  11. tots2travel Reply
    08/10/2016 at 7:21 pm

    #culturedkids

  12. Catherine's Cultural Wednesdays Reply
    08/10/2016 at 11:44 pm

    Straying into Norfolk always a good idea and Oxburgh Hall is beautiful!
    #culturedkids

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      09/10/2016 at 7:17 pm

      There are so many lovely places in Norfolk; each time we go we discover something different.

  13. Sarah Ebner Reply
    09/10/2016 at 1:22 pm

    It’s funny – this is the second time I’ve read about a trip to Oxburgh hall in the last week or so and it sounds right up our street. I particularly like the idea of hidden rooms…

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      09/10/2016 at 7:15 pm

      Make sure you go back when the repairs have been done to make the journey worthwhile. I would happily return just to see the gardens but then I’m not far way. I hadn’t realised it was so beautiful and unique.

  14. Sim @ SimsLife Reply
    11/10/2016 at 12:49 pm

    What an absolutely stunning hall! Unfortunately a little too far for us to trek down for the day but will certainly check it out the next time we are in the area! Sim x

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      16/10/2016 at 11:54 am

      Definitely worth keeping in mind when you’re visiting the area.

  15. Pingback: The Top Things To Do With Kids Norfolk | My Travel Monkey

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