Blickling Estate Groups Guide 2016

Blickling Estate
Groups Guide 2016
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/blickling
You’ll never forget your first sight of Blickling..
The breath-taking red-brick mansion and ancient yew hedges sit at the heart of a magnificent garden
and historic park in the beautiful Bure meadows.
Blickling’s owners have used the estate as a place of quiet refuge for centuries, while playing their part
on the world’s political stage. We hope that your group will come to know one of these people a little
better.
Philip Kerr, 11th Marquis of Lothian, left this estate to the National Trust in 1940, and he’s vital to its
story. Without him, it’s unlikely that Blickling would still be around for you to explore, along with many
other places that you love.
He was instrumental in drafting the National Trust Act in parliament in 1937 which enabled the first
large-scale transfer of country houses to the National Trust in lieu of death duties.
This guide is designed to help you plan your group visit, with practical information as well as ideas to
inspire you, to ensure you all get the most out of your day.
“Our visit to Blickling went very
well and your arrival procedure for
groups was perfect. Please pass on
my thanks to the staff, in particular
the gardeners for the magnificent
displays of hyacinths.”
MF - Field Society, 2015
“We had a lovely day at Blickling
last week, many thanks to you for
arranging it for us. We were lucky
to have a sunny day and both our
guides were fantastic - Philip was
both informative and entertaining
and Jacky walked us round the
beautiful gardens and was a fund
of knowledge. Please pass our
sincere thanks to them both”
KL - Art Fund, 2015
What will you love about Blickling
Estate?
• There’s more than 400 years of history
• There are 55 acres of beautiful gardens to
explore
• We’re on hand to help with park walks and
special tours
“Our group really enjoyed the
different aspects Blickling had to
offer and we seem to have picked
the best day for the weather and so
were able to enjoy the spring garden
and many have said they will come
back to look at a different season
garden and to see what they missed
on the day. So thank you for all
your help in making our day a most
enjoyable one”
VB –Social Club, 2015
• It’s only 14 miles from Norwich, and within
easy reach of Norwich airport
• A variety of events & activities are held
throughout the year
• Our three cafés on site serve delicious food
for a quick snack or a tasty meal
• You’ll find a range of tours to suit your
group’s interests
The Garden
Four centuries of good husbandry
have made Blickling’s garden one
of the greatest in England.
It changes through the seasons
and has evolved over the centuries
to reflect different fashions.
In 1932 Lord Lothian brought
in Norah Lindsay, the society
gardener, to create the garden
you see today.
W
hat not to miss...
• Take in the views across the lake from the Acre, where Lady
Astor played croquet
• Linger in the Dell, a place of tranquillity and great for winter
colour
• Visit the Orangery, the temple and the secret garden. Check
out what’s new in this ‘garden for all seasons’
• Visit our walled garden development project and see what
we’re up to
The Estate
The estate covers around 5,000 acres, and
includes 950 acres of woodland and parkland,
and 3,500 acres of farmland.
Visitors have access to much of this land and
you can explore three waymarked routes of
between two and five miles. You’ll discover
some interesting buildings, including the
pyramid-shaped mausoleum.
You’ll find downloadable routes on our website,
or tell us what you are looking for and we’ll help
you organise your activity.
W
hat not to miss...
(Our daily offer will vary)
• Look out for wildlife that calls the park home.
If you’re lucky, you’ll see owls, reed buntings
and occasionally red deer
• Enjoy one of the way-marked trails as you
wander through historic woodland or enjoy
the magnificent view from the lake
• Discover the ancient woods and pyramid
mausoleum
• See Blickling turn blue in May with our Festival
of the blues, celebrating the bluebell season
A new visitor experience
To celebrate our 75th birthday in 2015, we
transformed a rather tired suite of function and
store rooms which used to form the private living
space of Lord Lothian and his sisters.
Carpets have been taken up and floors waxed, and
clever interpretation throughout the house aims to
provoke visitors to really think about Lord Lothian,
Philip Kerr; the legacy he left, and the influence he
had on world politics and the development of the
National Trust’s acquisition strategy.
We show the house as it would have been - a place
of hospitality, with music of the period, personal
letters, ashtrays, whisky glasses and newspapers.
W
hat not to miss...
(Our daily offer will vary)
• Explore Lord Lothian’s old bedroom, which
reflects his restless nature and his travelling
• Enjoy the magnificence of the Great Hall.
Climb the grand staircase and find out who
graces the 23 paintings on display
• Listen to conversations of Lord Lothian and
his house party guests
• Visit the kitchens and get a feel for life below
stairs. You may even find the cook recreating
recipes from the 1930s, and get a taster!
• Catch the Diggers doing live interpretation on
Wednesdays, some weekends, and at many
events throughout the year
The RAF Oulton Museum
Special days
RAF Oulton was a bomber base created
on the Blickling Estate in 1939. The
station was instrumental in winning the
war, as documented by the Luftwaffe
themselves.
25 - 28 March
Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt
Come and explore the gardens as you find clues for our Easter
trail, and receive a Cadbury chocolate egg head.
Discover the amazing bravery of the
aircrews that flew from RAF Oulton
during WWII.
Read the accounts from RAF men and
women, stationed at RAF Oulton, as
well as letters home to loved ones,
describing their lives during the war.
The experience is moving and
memorable, and one not to be missed.
‘A station armourer’s thoughts at
Blickling.’ by TC Long
“I recall one battle order for 500lb
semi armour-piercing bombs for an
attack on shipping.”
“It was a bad day: of the six aircraft
that went out, only three returned.
Long before the Dambusters, 139
Squadron practised skip-bombing,
which involved an attack on the
beam at low level.”
“With those three crews the Squadron
lost a small amateur dance band.”
1 - 31 May
Festival of the blues
We’ll be turning Blickling blue for the month of May to
celebrate our beautiful bluebell season. The estate will be lit
up in blue, there will be bluebells for sale and guided walks.
The celebration will culminate in an afternoon of blues music
in the garden on Saturday 28 May.
12 - 13 August
Blickling concert weekend
This event is now firmly rooted in the Norfolk social calendar,
encapsulating all that is best in an outdoor concert. So dust
down your candelabra, bring your picnic, flags and wine and
soak up the atmosphere.
16 - 17 September
Summer Nights Film Festival
We’re very excited to be part of the Summer Nights film
festival for the second year. Bring a blanket, a picnic and
your friends and enjoy the great outdoors in a cinematic
experience that you will never forget.
25 November - 4 December
Winter Festival
Winter is one of the busiest times of year at Blickling and
this year you’ll find plenty to see throughout November and
December. Whether you’re looking for a frosty walk by the
lake followed by hot soup with crusty bread, or a gorgeous
wool blanket to snuggle in by a roaring fire, we’ve got it
covered. You’ll find some special festive events happening on
certain dates.
Please check our website for further details.
Eating and shopping
Everything stops for tea...
There are plenty of options when you’re feeling hungry and our eateries offer everything from light
snacks to more substantial meals.
The Stables
You’ll find plenty of choice at The Stables, from
hot and cold dishes to soup, sandwiches and
cakes. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are
available, as well as children’s lunch boxes.
The Farmyard
(in the farmyard by the coach drop-off point)
An alfresco café, perfect for warm days, serving
hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, scones and
cakes.
Muddy Boots
Situated by the main car park, Muddy Boots
is perfect for a post-walk coffee. With an
informal atmosphere, enjoy savoury pasties,
Italian ice-cream, tea and cake.
The Buckinghamshire Arms
This traditional 17th century pub & former
coaching inn serves real ales and great food.
Run by local team Colchester Inns
We use local, seasonal produce wherever we can, often from our own kitchen garden. We’re regularly
using over 18 different items including beetroot, carrots, basil, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, garlic and
red onions.
Perhaps we could tempt you to a little shopping too?
Gift shop & plant centre
Whether you’re treating yourself or buying a present, there’s something for all tastes. As well as the
favourites you’ll find in most National Trust shops, you’ll find local products such as chocolate, jams,
chutneys and beer from Norfolk.
We have a range of garden gifts and furniture as well as a wide selection of beautiful peat-free plants
at our Plant Centre, which you’ll find in The Farmyard. You can also pick up friendly advice, inspiration
and handy hints from our team as you browse the extensive collection. Feel free to pick up your plants
at the end of your visit.
Second-hand bookshop (in the farmyard, by the coach drop-off point)
We have one of the largest second-hand bookshops in the National Trust. With thousands of titles to
choose from, you’re bound to bag a bargain. Any money raised from the sale of books goes towards
vital restoration projects around the Blickling Estate.
Stamp shop
Blickling’s stamp shop opened in 2012 and can supply all manner of used stamps, often including
Penny Blacks. Exclusively run by volunteers, they’re helping us to raise funds for the renovation of the
walled garden and other essential conservation projects.
The Hobart Gallery
Our gallery houses local photography, art and craft exhibitions all year round. Why not pick up a piece
of local art during your visit, to remind you of your visit to Blickling?
Planning your visit
All group visits and guided tours must be booked at least 14 days in advance. Please contact Angela
Taylor on 01263 738005 or email [email protected] to discuss the details of your planned
visit. Once the booking has been made, further details will be sent out about your visit.
Blickling Estate can be enjoyed at your own pace. Knowledgeable guides are in each room, happy to
answer questions and to tell you more about the history and treasures of the house.
Guided tours
Guided tours are available for groups before the house opens for the day. They last for about an hour
(max 12 people) and must be booked in advance. Specialist tours can be arranged from gardening and
architecture to portraits or scandal and gossip. These are all available if pre-booked (please ask at the
time of booking). Tours are at an additional cost: £2.50 for standard highlight pre-booked tours of the
house, £1 for pre-booked tours of the garden. Other bespoke tours - prices available on request.
Payment
Payment for groups must be made as a single payment by cash or credit card, either on the day or by
invoice within 7 days of your visit.
Benefits for coach drivers & group leaders
Coach drivers with groups visiting the house and garden receive a complimentary meal voucher. Group
leaders will gain free admission to the house and garden.
What to do in half a day
What to do in a whole day
Explore the house
Immerse yourself in the rich history and imagine
what life would have been like in the 1930s.
Explore the estate with our lake walk
Enjoy breathtaking views of Blickling’s parkland
with a walk through woodland and open fields.
Join a garden tour
Explore the gardens with one of our guides and
get some top tips.
Take a highlight tour of the house
Find out some of the fascinating stories of
Blickling’s past with one of our expert guides.
Visit the RAF Oulton Museum
Find out about Blickling’s wartime history in our
museum, upstairs in the East Wing.
Enjoy a leisurely lunch at The Stables café
With a selection of light lunches, seasonal dishes
and sandwiches, there’s plenty to enjoy.
Treat yourself
Enjoy tea and cake at one of our cafes.
Browse the second-hand bookshop
Pick up a bargain, then take it to a quiet spot in
the garden.
Blickling Estate
opening times 2016
House*
5 Mar - 30 Oct**
5 Nov - 20 Nov
25 Nov - 4 Dec
Garden, shops & café
1 Jan - 4 Jan
6 Jan - 28 Feb+
29 Feb - 30 Oct
2 Nov - 18 Dec
19 Dec - 23 Dec
27 Dec - 31 Dec
Historic park and
woodland
Open all year
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* Last entry to house one hour before closing. ** House also open on Tuesday 29 March, 5 April, 31
May, 26 July, 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 August and 25 October. Timed tickets on busiest days. + Garden,
shops & cafés also open Mon 15 & Tues 16 Feb. Muddy Boots café open on 26 Dec.
Group admission prices:
March - October: Whole property - Adult £11.80, child £6.30. Garden only - Adult £7.60, child £4.25.
Winter (November - February): Whole property - Adult £8.50, child £4.25. Garden only - Adult
£4.25, child £2.10. Please note; These special group prices are for a minimum of 15 people and must
be paid in a single payment. They also exclude ‘event days’, which are 25, 26 & 27 November and 2,
3 & 4 December, when full admission will be charged.
One day is never enough
The National Trust is a charity completely independent of Government funding.
We rely on the support of the public through membership, donations, legacies and
visitor income.
By supporting our stamp shop and second-hand bookshop at Blickling, you are helping fund vital
conservation projects. Your support makes a real difference to what we can do to preserve and protect
this special place.
Current fundraising project: Help us bring our walled garden back to life.
The aim of the project is to return the walled garden to a working kitchen garden for the first time since
the 1950s, supplying fruit and vegetables to the cafés. The layout will be based on a design similar to
that employed 75 years ago.
It is a project of regeneration rather than restoration and we hope that you will become a part of it, by
helping with a donation (through making a purchase at our book or stamp shop) or simply returning to
follow our progress.
Blickling Estate
Blickling, near Aylsham, Norwich, Norfolk, NR11 6NF
Telephone 01263 738030
Email [email protected]
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/blickling
For alternative formats, please call us on 01263 738030 or email
[email protected]
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Photography:
© Archant/Antony Kelly, © National Trust Images/Matthew Antrobus/Paul Bailey/Jo Bosch/
Andrew Butler/Antonia Gray/Kenny Gray/Nadia MacKenzie/Paul Macro/Spike Malin/John Millar/
Arnhel de Serra/Andy Davison.