Kelmarsh Hall
Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens
19th June 2023
It doesn’t seem possible that a week has passed since our history group visit to Kelmarsh Hall and gardens.
Tuesday the 13th of June was a perfectly warm and sunny day and we were greeted on the lawn by Donna who issued us with stickers and explained that we were entitled to a ‘free flow’ tour, allowing us plenty of time to explore the beautiful house, gardens and lakeside walk at our leisure until closing time at 4pm. (I must add here that two of our group particularly enjoyed the Fairy walk!) We had the choice of either bringing a picnic or eating in the lovely ‘Sweet Peas’ tea room, so all very relaxed indeed.
Kelmarsh Hall in Northamptonshire is an elegant, 18-century country house about 5 miles south of Market Harborough, although there is evidence that an old Jacobean manor once stood overlooking the lost village of Kelmarsh in 1618. The present Palladian style manor is grade 1 listed and built in 1732 for William Hanbury, a famous antiquarian, by Francis Smith of Warwick, to a James Gibbs design; the hall is still today surrounded by its working estate, and comprises both parkland and gardens. Their famous herd of British White cattle can be seen grazing in the meadows. The estate is now in the care of an independent charitable trust, The Kelmarsh Trust, charged with maintaining it in perpetuity for the benefit of the nation.
Eight generations of the Hanbury family and successive owners and influences have left their imprint on this elegant Palladium style manor, which evokes the warmth of a family home, with the stories of past families and residents that is very much in evidence today both above and below stairs.
There is a great deal of information to be found about the intriguing history of Kelmarsh Hall and its inhabitants on their website, so do take a look and be cast under its spell!
Andrea
(To view a video, click the ‘Film Reel’)