Sudbury

This is the estate village to Sudbury Hall, home of a branch of the Vernon family who lived at Haddon Hall. It was built in the late 17th century by George Vernon in red brick and gifted to the National Trust in 1967. The house and gardens are open to visitors and the hall offers many specialised tours too. The lavish interiors boast elaborate decorative plasterwork, woodcarving by Grinling Gibbons, murals throughout, including painted ceilings by Louis Laguerre. The long gallery and staircase are among the grandest in any English country house. Perhaps you will recognize it from the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice.

Of particular interest is the Museum of Childhood, which is situated in the servants’ wing and provides fascinating displays telling the story of what it was like to be a child in England from the 18th century to the present. Displays range from a wealthy family’s nursery and an Edwardian schoolroom to a ‘chimney climb’ and coal tunnel for the adventurous. The formal gardens and meadows lead to the tree-fringed lake. Wildlife abounds, including kestrels, grey herons, grass snakes, dragonflies, newts, frogs, toads, little and tawny owls and woodpeckers. Special events are held throughout the year.