Kentwell Hall

Over het museum

Kentwell Hall is a moated brick house at Long Melford in Suffolk. It was built mainly between about 1490 and 1530 by the Clopton family, first by John Clopton and then by his son Sir William. The Cloptons had held the estate since the late 14th century. The house shows the change from a medieval hall house to a courtyard layout, because two long wings were added to the central block in successive phases. A long gallery added in 1578 was lost when the roof of the central block was lowered in the 18th century, and the towers were raised at the same time.

The oldest building on the site is the Moat House, which was used as a dairy, bakery and brewhouse and still stands beside the hall. The main rooms were redecorated in 1825 in a Gothic style, and the exterior has changed little since the Tudor period.

Since 1979 the hall has been known for its large Tudor and other period re-creation events, in which costumed participants live out historical roles over several days. It also appears in film and television productions and hosts seasonal events. Today the house is still a lived-in family home. Visitors can see Tudor portraits, murals, historic tapestries and stained glass, and can walk through the formal gardens, the moated grounds and a small farm with rare-breed animals.

Hoogtepunten

• Moated Tudor house, one of the earliest brick-built houses in England
• Tudor portraits, murals and Gothic interiors of 1825
• The Moat House with its early dairy, bakehouse and brewhouse
• Formal gardens with topiary, a rose garden and yew features
• Farm with sheep, pigs, geese and peacocks
• Costumed Tudor re-creation days on selected dates

Vaste collectie

• Kentwell Hall – Tudor house and rooms – The moated Tudor house with its Tudor portraits, murals, tapestries and Gothic interiors of 1825.

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Admission prices are shown on the online booking calendar and vary by day and by event. Tickets bought at the gate cost 2 more than tickets bought in advance. There is no refund when the site is open, and tickets cannot be moved to another day or event. Season tickets for the gardens and farm, or for the house, gardens and farm, are sold on the website. Discounted tickets are available for visitors with disabilities and carers.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift: niet aanwezig
• Aangepast toilet: geen informatie
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

Only the ground floor of the house (nine rooms) is suitable for wheelchair users; the staircases to the upper floor cannot be used with a wheelchair. Motorised wheelchairs and mobility scooters cannot be used inside the house and should stay on the hard-surfaced paths outdoors. The gardens are reasonably accessible in good weather but less so when muddy. Three manual wheelchairs can be borrowed on a first-come basis by telephoning the shop. Accessible parking is nearer the entrance at the top of the avenue and is marked with blue signs. Visitors who are unsure about the house can buy a gardens-only ticket first. Pushchairs cannot be taken into the house and are left in the courtyard. Guide dogs are permitted, but other dogs are not.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

The site combines gardens, a farm with lambs and piglets in spring, a moat with fish and birds, and a peacock. Children can see the animals on normal opening days. Pushchairs are not allowed inside the house and are left in the courtyard.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The visitor entrance is on the High Street in Long Melford. Use postcode CO10 9BA or the what3words address september.remembers.raven.

Service & horeca

• Café
• Museumwinkel

The Paddocks Tea Garden is an open-air seating area with parkland views, and an indoor tea room serves seasonal food and speciality teas and coffees. Entry to the tea room needs at least a gardens-only ticket. Picnics are allowed only in the picnic area outside the front gates. Smoking and vaping are not allowed anywhere in the grounds.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur
• Bruiloften / trouwceremonies

The estate is offered for weddings and other events; filming and photography requests are handled through the website.

Je bezoek plannen