Somerleyton Hall is at the heart of one of the most beautiful estates in East Anglia. Originally a Jacobean manor house the hall was extensively redesigned in the 1840’s by Sir Morton Peto, a titan of the industrial revolution. In 1862 Sir Francis Crossley bought the estate and it has remained in the Crossley family for six generations.
Today it is the home of The Hon. Hugh and Lara Crossley and their son John. They are delighted to be hosting the Folkeast Festival at Somerleyton and hope all who come enjoy the event and their visit here.
The hall and gardens are open to the public, though not during the festival, and are well worth a visit.
You can explore the twelve acres of landscaped gardens, get lost for a while in the ancient yew hedge maze, let the tour guides unlock the treasures and history of the families who have lived here since 1240 and then enjoy the home made delights of the tearooms.
There is a wealth of fascinating information on their website and all the information on opening dates, times, events and admission prices – just follow this link www.somerleyton.co.uk
The Hall – It was redesigned in the Victorian Italianate style in the 1840’s by John Thomas, who famously worked for seventeen years on the Houses of Parliament and was a favourite sculptor of Prince Albert. The stable block is dominated by Vulliamy’s clock tower, originally designed for parliament it was deemed too expensive and ornate so they got Big Ben and Sir Morton Peto had this one installed at Somerleyton.
The Gardens – The garden trail will take you through 12 acres of walled, sunken and formal gardens full of mature specimen trees, shrubs and garden statuary. There are peach cases and glasshouses designed by Sir Joseph Paxton, designer of the famous Crystal Palace and a 70m iron pergola covered with scented climbers.
The Maze – Designed by William Nesfield, the celebrated landscape gardener, this yew hedge maze was planted in 1846. The centre lies over 365m from the entrance if you make no mistakes and there is a charming view from the small wooden pagoda on the central mound.
The Library – Over 3,500 volumes line the walls, most were published between 1850 and 1900 and were acquired by Sir Savile Crossley. Currently used by the family as a sitting room the desks display some charming family memorabilia and photographs.
The Dining Room – This room contains some of Somerleyton’s best paintings and a stunning collection of ornate silverware. The table is set with a fine coalport service and antique glassware set ready for desert to be served.
The Staircase Hall – Generations of Crossley family portraits dominate the walls and the windows are decorated with the 14 coats of arms of the families who have held the Somerleyton Estate since 1240. The adjoining hall houses the present Lord Somerleyton’s memorabilia from his days as Horse Master to HM Queen Elizabeth.
The Entrance Hall – Twelve ornately carved oak columns frame the Devon marble wall panels and overhead the stained glass dome depicts game birds but all this is simply eclipsed by the two enormous stuffed polar bears. These magnificent beasts are trophies of the first Lord Somerleyton’s two man expedition to the arctic in 1897.
