Built between 1734 and 1764 by Thomas Coke, the 1st Earl of Leicester, this elegant Palladian style mansion which is based on designs by William Kent, has been home to the Coke family since that time. The building reflects the first Earl’s natural appreciation of classical art developed during his Grand Tour and Pevsner described the hall as “The most classically correct house in Britain”.

The Marble Hall provides a spectacular entrance to this imposing house with its 50 ft pressed plaster dome ceiling and walls of English alabaster, not marble as it name implies. The stairway leads up to magnificent state rooms with superb collections of ancient statuary, original furniture and tapestries. As you stroll through the rooms you will find wonderful works of art including works by Rubens, Van Dyck, Gaspar Poussin, Claude and Gainsborough.

One of the last rooms to visit in the house is the old kitchen which was refurbished in the 1850s and used right up until the outbreak of World War II. The vast number of copper pots, pans, moulds and other utensils on show demonstrate the large numbers catered for in the 19th century.

Adjacent to the hall, the original stable block houses the Bygones Museum with displays of over 4,000 items of domestic and agricultural memorabilia. In addition a History of Farming Exhibition highlights the famous Coke of Norfolk’s role in the great Agricultural Revolution of the 18th century. With a well-stocked gift shop, café using local produce wherever possible, a varied programme of events suitable for all ages, Holkham has much to offer.