By Ferne Arfin
United Kingdom Travel Expert, about.com
By Ferne Arfin
If you're planning to visit a stately home, give yourself a short checklist of things to do and you'll get much more enjoyment out of it. Take it from me, my five top tips are based on real experience.
Over
the years, I've schlepped through more than my fair share of stately
homes. And I have to confess, I wasn't that keen to visit Doddington
Hall. The owners make a point of letting you know the house hasn't been
cleared out in 400 years. Imagine what your house would look like if it
hadn't been cleared out in five years, let alone 400.
A Little Planning Makes All the Difference
Of
course, I was wrong and I needn't have worried. Doddington Hall was
more than worth a visit - I had a great time. After, I thought about
what I had done to make my tour of this estate so enjoyable. Now, I'm
passing those pointers on to you. Next time you have a chance to visit
some of the stately homes and historic houses
that are the UK's treasures, just a few minutes of planning will make
all the difference between being entertained and being overwhelmed.
5 Top Tips
- Zero in on your special interest
- Most historic houses have one or two special features that
distinguish them from others. A quick check of their websites will give
you a few clues and, wherever possible, the stories you'll find by
clicking a few links on this page, will point you toward what makes a
particular house unique.
Blenheim Palace was the birthplace of Winston Churchill and, in the garden, you can see the gazebo where he proposed to his wife. Attingham Park has a 650 year old oak in it's gardens and a chance to see a National Trust restoration project in the works.
For me, the fascination of Doddington Hall was the way the possessions of generations of the family, 400 years worth, fit together in the same rooms. In the great hall, a huge oak table of 20th century vintage is surrounded by bobbin-turned Cromwellian chairs from 1650. The point is, whether you are interested in political history, famous characters, silver and china, works of art or fabulous gardens and parks, you can find something that touches you and makes your visit memorable. - Pick up a guidebook - Most historic sites in the UK now have pretty good websites that will tell you about visiting times, prices and some facilities. But the real nitty gritty, the anecdotes and the nudges in the right directions are usually in a guidebook you can buy on site. They usually only cost a few pounds, they help support the upkeep of the house you are visiting, and they make nice souvenirs. Use your tablet or smartphone for research before you arrive, but spend three or four pounds on a basic guidebook if one is available. You can stop to read every little sign all over the house looking for something that interests you but a guidebook will help you whizz through the boring bits to find the real gems.
- Take the guided tour - A lot of houses have volunteer guides who lead tours several times a day. The tours are usually free, the men and women leading them very enthusiastic about the property and its period; so they can satisfy your curiosity with answers to your nosiest questions. A good guide or docent makes all the difference on a tour of a stately home. Even if you don't have to be part of a tour to explore a house (and for some houses, you must be), wait for the next one to start to make the most of your visit.
- Use more than one facility -
These days, stately homes are businesses with the various facilities
helping to support and maintain the house into the future. It goes
without saying that there will be a gift shop where you can be
encouraged to part with your money, but there are other facilities that
are simply designed to make the place more attractive to you and your
family. Use them if you can.
Waddesdon Manor holds special exhibitions in its stable galleries. At Ightham Moat, another area of spacious stables is used for children's workshops and events, especially during school vacations and holiday seasons. Woodland walks at places like Burton Agnes Hall and Buckland Abbey- home of Sir Francis Drake - add an outdoor experience and glorious countryside views to a visit.
At Doddington Hall, an avenue of tall, ancient trees points to a pyramid shaped folly about a mile from the house. The pyramid looks as ancient as the trees - but it was finished in 2012 as a habitat for bats, pigeons and tired walkers. The walk to it across the meadows, through orchards and pastures, offers splendid views of the house.
And Doddington also has a large farm shop where you can pick up fresh, locally grown veggies to take to your vacation rental; jars of jams, sauces and relishes you can take home to the states, and all kinds of goodies for a picnic beside the road if you are touring. I bought a few beautiful, plump white custard squash (similar to pattypan, but white) to take home and cook that were grown right in Doddington's walled kitchen garden. - Find the human stories -
No matter how splendid a house and its contents are, no matter how
gorgeous its grounds, it's usually the human stories that add the extra
dimensions that make stately homes interesting. Be on the lookout for
the human anecdotes that bring a house to life. At Doddington Hall, I
found three - a sad story, a romantic scandal and a miracle:
- The sad story - In the 18th century, John Hussey Delaval was the only member of his family who had a son, also named John. Unfortunately, he died of consumption, before his 21st birthday. The beer that was brewed and bottled for his birthday celebration is still in the cellars of Doddington Hall.
- The romantic scandal - In the early 19th century, the heiress of Doddington Hall married a much older military man. She soon took up with widowed soldier and became romantically involved with him. When her husband died in 1824 the way looked clear for Sarah and her lover, Colonel George Jarvis, to marry. Before they could be married, she too died of consumption. Even though they never married, she left the house to her betrothed lover.
- The miracle - A painting of a dog over the fireplace in the drawing room honors either a very faithful dog or a rather careless man. The painting, dating from about 1693, was left to the Husseys of Doddington by a wealthy friend who was saved from lightening by the dog - not once but three times! One wonders why he didn't have enough sense to come indoors in a thunderstorm. The dog probably wondered the same thing.
To Visit Doddington Hall
- Where: Five miles west of Lincoln on the B1190, for SatNav users, the post code is LN6 4RU. There's free parking. It is also reachable by taxi from Lincoln Central Station or Newark Northgate Station.
- Open: The cafe, restaurant and farm shop are open year round, but this is still a family house, so the house and garden have such complicated opening times that it requires a grid to present them. Best check the Doddington Hall website to plan your visit.
- Admission: Adult, child, family and season tickets are available. Admission is available for either the garden only or the house and garden. In 2014, the adult price of £6.00 for the gardens only or £9.50 for the house and garden seemed competitive with other similar properties. The kitchen garden can be visited free when the house and the rest of the gardens are closed.
- Contact: Telephone - +44 (0) 01522 694 308, Email: info@doddingtonhall.com
