Cottesbrooke Hall

About the museum

Cottesbrooke Hall was built between 1702 and 1712 for Sir John Langham, a member of a family that had made its money in the Turkey trade and had owned the estate since the 17th century. The architect was Francis Smith of Warwick, and the house is built of rose-coloured brick with stone details. Two bows were added to the central block around 1780 by Robert Mitchell, who also built the larger bridge and the entrance lodges.

In the 20th century the house was altered several times. Interiors were reworked in the 1930s for Catherine Macdonald-Buchanan, when the present entrance hall was created. The estate was bought by the Macdonald-Buchanan family in 1936, and it is still their home.

The Woolavington Collection of sporting art was put together by Lord Woolavington, a whisky blender and racehorse owner, and added to by later generations. It includes works by Stubbs, Ferneley, Herring and Munnings, as well as portraits and fine porcelain and furniture. Visitors see the principal rooms on a short guided tour, and the gardens are laid out in a series of walled and hedged rooms with a wild garden beyond.

Highlights

• Woolavington Collection of sporting art, including works by Stubbs and Munnings
• Cantilevered staircase hall with 18th-century papier-mâché ceilings
• The China Corridor and Library, remodelled in the 1930s
• 13 acres of award-winning gardens in a series of garden rooms
• Queen Anne rose-brick house in landscaped parkland

Permanent exhibitions

• Woolavington Collection – One of the finest collections of sporting art in Europe, with paintings and bronzes by Stubbs, Herring, Landseer and Munnings, alongside portraits, furniture and porcelain.
• The hall and gardens – A guided tour of the Queen Anne house and a visit to 13 acres of gardens divided into walled and hedged garden rooms.

Operated by

Macdonald-Buchanan family

Admission & discounts

Prices for house and gardens in 2026; a 10% discount applies to tickets booked in advance on the website. Guided house tours are strictly limited, so pre-booking is essential. Car and coach parking is included. Historic Houses members have free entry to the hall and gardens and RHS members one free entry to the gardens, in both cases with a free timed ticket and proof of membership, but not for special events.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The hall is not suitable for wheelchairs, walking frames or pushchairs, and has two flights of stairs. The gardens and the tearoom can be used by wheelchair users, although much of the garden is lawn, and most steps can be avoided with the accessible route map available on request. Visitors with disabilities should phone before visiting. Only assistance dogs are allowed.

Kids & families

Only partly suitable for kids

• Stroller-friendly: not available

Children under 14 are welcome and enter free if accompanied by a ticket-holding adult. Prams and pushchairs are not allowed in the house, but there is a safe place to leave them.

Getting there & parking

The public entrance is on a minor road between Cottesbrooke and Brixworth, marked by two tall iron gates. From the M1 junction 19 take the A14 east to junction 1 and the A5199 south towards Northampton through Thornby, then turn left at Creaton to Cottesbrooke and follow the brown signs. What3Words for the visitor entrance: expand.allow.curly.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Coat check

The Old Laundry Tearoom serves homemade cakes and hot and cold drinks from 14:30 to 17:00 on open days, for ticket holders only. Bulky bags and coats can be left in a storage area. A picnic area is next to the lake by the car park; picnics are not allowed in the gardens.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit