Kirstead Hall

Kirstead Hall is a fine and beautiful mellow red-brick Grade I Tudor Hall, seven miles south of Norwich, begun in 1540 of E-shaped plan with pin tile roof and stepped Flemish gable ends.

There is brickwork with attractive blue diaper decoration, 18th-century graffiti on the leaded lights, and the porch features anti-witchcraft symbols. The gardens are partly walled with an important Grade II* octagonal dovecote in the grounds. The drawing room was the first studio of the artist Edward Seago and the honeysuckle over the porch was there in his time. Essentially still a family home, exuding warmth and hospitality, the owners’ youngest daughter and her family lived on the top floor until recently.

A family ancestress was Mary Christian, the genteel sister of the mutineer Fletcher, who has an interesting family history and also owned the Palgrave Murphy Shipping Company which included a line between Great Yarmouth and Dublin.

Visitors can see three letters from Agatha Christie to the owner’s late aunt when she was a nun, a note from Snaffles the artist, a letter with a sketch by Field Marshall Alexander, and unusual examples of miniature honeymoon underwear circa 1926. Albums from the 1900s include the signature of King Manuel II, the last King of Portugal. The funeral service sheets of Field Marshal Alexander, The Lord Wilson and Major General Dudley Johnson VC can also be viewed.

Early albums have photos of World War I battlefields and include one of General French. A scrapbook of Country Life photos and cuttings from the 1930s can be perused. Albums illustrating social history and fashion from the 1900s include some really ugly ancestors.

The famous Talbot House, Toc H, was founded under the aegis of the owner's great uncle Edward van Cutsem, Town Major of Poperingue in Belgium during World War I, as he was able to obtain materials to rebuild the shattered house. The executions of soldiers shot at dawn was a dreadful duty that went to his heart. He made the process more humane and his accounts of this can be read.

The owner’s uncle helped to organise the signing of the German surrender in 1945. His memoir of the occasion can be read, and he was also present at Himmler’s suicide.

Dermot’s father was the sole survivor when his tank took a direct hit during the Burma Campaign. His account can be read, “I was lying on the ground surrounded by the debris of a shattered tank…”

After the tour of the house there is tea on the lawn with scones and jam.

Dermot and Judy look forward to welcoming guests and groups for a tour, which is ground floor only, to see the house, furniture restoration workroom and the Dovecote.

Tickets £22 including tea/coffee/soft drinks; fruited scones with cream and jam; selection of cakes.

Visitors' views:

• Dermot and Judy made us feel very welcome and we enjoyed it all. We were particularly interested in the family stories and military connections and albums. We are full of admiration for the work that has been done to restore this hall and create a lovely home. It was nice to chat with other visitors over a cup of tea and cake.
• It was a very interesting visit indeed – both the house and the workshop – all topped off with a fabulous cream tea!
• Our hosts were so warm and welcoming. They shared their passion for their property with us and we were given a wealth of information on the history and memorabilia of the house, restoration workshop and dovecote. We were encouraged to make ourselves at home, enjoyed excellent tea/coffee, cakes and scones, and we felt like part of their family. Recommendation marks out of 10 - a well deserved 20!!
• We just wanted to say how much we enjoyed the trip to Kirstead Hall. We thought the owners were excellent, really friendly and we felt like we were very welcome in their home. The whole experience was very interesting and we would say the best we have visited so far. Thank you.
• ... one of the best historic house visits we had made (nothing to do with the cakes on offer)! We thought it was more like a visit to friends than to a historic display even though we had never met the family or were aware of the house before yesterday.
• … it was the friendliest house I have visited, the hosts made us so welcome, seats for all in the rooms were very helpful and the cream tea was a lovely touch. I found going into the workshop very interesting as I have enjoyed working with wood in the past.

Location

Kirstead Hall, NR15 1ER

Event organiser is Kirstead Hall.