The doors of one of England's great country houses - Apethorpe Hall in Northamptonshire - are open this summer and people are invited to tour its magnificent interior, discover its past and view the conservation and repair works which have secured the Hall's future.
Saved From Ruin
Following many years of neglect and decay, the Grade I listed Hall had fallen into a state of significant disrepair and was in danger of being lost forever. In 2004, as the protector of England's unique legacy of historic buildings, English Heritage stepped in and saved it.
Since then, English Heritage has completed a major £4 million repair of the key parts of the building. The public are now invited to view this first phase of the major restoration project. The plasterwork in the State Apartments, oak panelling in the Long Gallery and ornate fireplaces have all been carefully restored by traditional craftspeople. A large section of the timber framed roof has been painstakingly repaired and re-roofed using thousands of local stone slates. In total around 150,000 man-hours of skilled labour has been used over the past two years on repair and conservation work.
Secrets Revealed
"Apethorpe Hall is a truly fascinating building, and the team at English Heritage have made some significant discoveries about the place since we've been responsible for it," said Steve Bax, Visitor Operations Director for the East of England. "Visitors to the Hall will be able to see the secret passageway we uncovered as a result of our restoration work, which links King James's state apartment to the room that was used by his favourite courtier, the Duke of Buckingham, George Villiers."
"It is a great time to come and visit the Hall because we have a new phase of conservation work underway. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to see the restoration of one of the country's most famous historic buildings in progress!"
Book Now
Apethorpe Hall near Oundle in Northamptonshire, is open for guided tours on Wednesdays and Saturdays during August and the first week in September. For further information on the Hall, or to book your place on a tour please contact our Customer Services team on 0870 333 1183. Tours cost £7.50 per person.
