Audley End House & Gardens

Visitor Information

Audley End. Real Life Below Stairs. A New Visitor Experience
Get Directions

To Audley End House and Gardens from

Weather Forecast

Opening Times:

April 2009 to March 2010Opening TimesOpening Days
House:  
1 Apr-30 Sep 11am-5pm (last admission 2.30pm on Sat) Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun, & Bank Hols.
1 Oct-1 Nov 11am-4pm (last admission 2.30 on Sat) Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, & Sun.
Last entry 1 hour before closing  
Closed 1 Nov-31 Mar except for Festive Fun Weekends (21-22, 28-29 Nov & 5-6, 12-13 & 19-20 Dec)  
Gardens and Service Wing:  
1 Apr-30 Sep 10am-6pm Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, & Sun.
1 Oct-1 Nov 10am-5pm Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, & Sun.
2 Nov-20 Dec 10am-4pm Sat, & Sun.
21 Dec-31 Jan Closed
1 Feb-14 Feb 10am-4pm Sat, & Sun.
15 Feb-28 Feb 10am-4pm Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, & Sun.
1-31 Mar 10am-5pm Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, & Sun.
Last entry 1 hour before closing  
Guided Tours (House):  
1 Apr-30 Apr (except Easter)   Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, & Sun.
1 May-17 Jul (except 4 and 27-29 May)   Wed, Thu, & Fri.
1 Sep-23 Oct   Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, & Sun.

How much does it cost?

Adult:
£10.70 until 31 Mar 2010 / £11.90 from 1 Apr 2010
Children:
£5.40 until 31 Mar 2010 / £6.00 from 1 Apr 2010
Concession:
£9.10 until 31 Mar 2010 / £10.10 from 1 Apr 2010
English Heritage Members:
Other:
Family Ticket: £26.80 until 31 Mar 2010 / £29.80 from 1 Apr 2010
Details:
Gardens and Service Wing (not available on event days) Adult £7.70 Concession £6.50 Child £3.90 Family £19.30 until 31 Mar 2010 / Adult £8.30 Concession £7.10 Child £4.20 Family £20.80 from 1 Apr 2010

How do I get there?

Address:
Essex - CB11 4JF
Road Access:
1 mile W of Saffron Walden on B1383 (M11 exit 8 or 10)
Train Access:
Audley End 1 1⁄4 miles. Note: Footpath is beside busy mainroad
Bus Access:
Burton/Four Counties 59, Stansted Transit 301 from Audley Endrailway station stopping in Saffron Walden
Map Location:
Telephone:
01799 522399 (info line); Disabled access: Tel 01799 522842, LocalTourist Information: Saffron Walden: 01799 524002, Cambridge: 01223464732

What facilities are available?

Facilities Available:
Tearooms or restaurant Suitable for people with disabilities Male/Female Toilets Male/Female Toilets Baby changing facilities Museum Education Guidebooks Dogs allowed on leads Shop Picnic area Events Holiday Cottages Admission free for Overseas Vistor Pass holders Park Female Toilets
Facilities Details:
Wheelchairs: we have four wheelchairs, available on request; four motorised wheelchairs available in grounds, but must be booked in advance. Please ring 01799 522842.
Toilets: Adapted; level access.
Shop: Level access.
Tea rooms: Ramped access to the tea rooms. Please note there are 3 steps to the self-service cafe.
Access:
Access to house: Via loose gravel, tarmac, cobbles and smooth grass. Ground floor level apart from Butlers Pantry which has 4 steps.
Gardens: Access via tarmac and gravel paths and very smooth grass. Seats provided. A number of bridges either have a step or steep slope.
Parking:
200m from entrance, with reserved parking for disabled visitors. Please make arrangements in advance if possible.
Visually Impaired Visitors:
Fountain, wildfowl and bird song in grounds; flower and rose gardens.

What facilities are available for groups?

Group Discount:
15% discount for groups of 11 or more visitors paying together. Free entry for coach driver and tour leader.
Coach Parking Facilities:
There is free, but limited, parking for coaches on site, 30 metres from the entrance to the house
Group Booking:
Contact the site for a Group Booking Form and for opening times and prices from 1 April 2010.
Average Length of Visit:
House: 1 1/2 hours; gardens: 1 1/2 hours
Guided Tours:

Guided Tour of the House
During certain times of the year Audley End House itself is only accessible by guided tour. You will tour the house with an experienced guide and hear all about how the rooms were used by the family on a day to day basis. The tour begins in the dramatic setting of the great hall, where the guide sets the scene by outlining the history of the house. The house is still furnished with all of the original furniture, paintings, including several works by masters such as Canaletto, Holbein and Van Goyen as well as artefacts from the time when the family lived there - and this helps to bring the house to life. The principle style of the house in decorative terms is Jacobean revival of the early 19th century, but there are fragments of Jacobean work that survive together with substantial work from the late 18th century. The House in some ways illustrates the changing life of the English Country House.

Duration: Approx. 1 hour

Minimum-maximum pax:  11-20

Advance booking required: YES. Access to the house by guided tour only on dates listed below and groups should reserve a tour time when making the site booking. The tour is included in the admission price. Call for 2010/11 admission prices, 2010 dates and to book: 01799 522842

Dates:  21 Mar - 30 Apr 2009, Wed - Sun (except Easter) / 1 May - 29 Jul 2009, Wed - Fri (except Bank Hols) / 1 Sep - 31 Oct 2009, Wed - Sun

Further Info

Tea rooms are self-service in the Housekeepers Room and the Servants Hall.
Please note: In some rooms, light levels are reduced to preserve vulnerable textiles and other collections. No photography or stiletto heels allowed in the house.
Please call the site for special events information.
In addition to guidebooks there are information sheets in French, Dutch, German, Spanish and Japanese.

Useful tools