Name: Audley End House and Gardens
Address: Off London Road, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 4JF
Telephone: 0370 333 1181

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Audley End House and Gardens

Audley End House and Gardens will close at 2.30pm Thurs 11 Aug - Sun 14 Aug due to the Heritage Live Concerts taking place in the evening. Please note there may be additional traffic on site due to the event.

Victorian Horses 28 - 29 Aug

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Address

Off London Road, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 4JF

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Admire the interiors of what was once one of the largest and most opulent houses in Jacobean England. Wander around our spacious grounds and admire the glorious gardens designed by Capability Brown, including our beautifully restored parterre and organic kitchen gardens. Take a stroll over to the stable yard and meet our friendly horses before topping up your energy with a delicious treat in the cafe.

Meet the Staff at Audley End

On selected weekends during 1 May to 25 September we will be bringing the story of the House and Service Wing to life with live interpretation in the open air.

Meet the servants as they step out of their stuffy rooms and into the clean fresh air while the Lord and Lady of the house are away on holiday. Meet various characters throughout the weekends including Mr Vert the head gardener busily tending to his Lordship’s garden and John Barker, the Groom, as he spends time with his beloved horses in the stables.

Find out more

Things to See and Do

Explore one of England's greatest mansion houses
Play in our Victorian Nursery and discover our coal gallery
Discover the Life of a Victorian Servant
Gallop over to our Victorian Stable Yard
Enjoy our Glorious Gardens
Feeling Peckish?
Let off Steam
Explore acres of parklands

What's On

Heritage Live - Simple Minds

Thurs 11 Aug 2022
Heritage Live - The Bootleg Beatles

Fri 12 August
Heritage Live - Elbow

Sat 13 Aug 2022
Heritage Live - Tom Jones

Sun 14 Aug 2022
Victorian Horses of Audley End

Sun 28 Aug - Mon 29 Aug 2022 10am - 5pm
BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair

Fri 2 - Sun 4 Sept 2022 10am-5pm
Members' Event: Churchill's Secret Army - 80th Anniversary Event

Fri 16 Sep 2022 11am - 1pm & 1.30pm - 3.30pm
Harvest Falconry at Audley End

Sat 24 - Sun 25 Sep 2022 10am - 5pm
Halloween Half Term at Audley End

Sat 22 - Sun 30 Oct 2022 10am - 4pm
Spooky Woodland Walks at Audley End

Fri 28 - Sun 30 Oct 2022 5.30pm, 6.30pm & 7.30pm
Enchanted Audley

Fri 2 - Sun 4, Thurs 8 - Sun 11, Thurs 15 - Sun 18, Tues 20 - Fri 23, Tues 27 - Fri 30 Dec 2022 Timeslots available every 30 minutes from 4pm-7pm

Audley End Timeline

1139De Mandeville Family

Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex, founds a Benedictine priory at Walden, which becomes Walden Abbey in 1190.

1538From Abbey to Mansion

The abbey is suppressed by Henry VIII and granted to Sir Thomas Audley, Lord Chancellor. He transforms the abbey buildings into a mansion.

Find out more about Audley End's history

1605-14Jacobean House

Audley's grandson Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk, rebuilds the house, making it the largest private residence of its day.

1667-8In Royal Hands

Charles II buys Audley End, which is handy for the Newmarket races. The Earls of Suffolk become keepers of the new palace.

1701-25The House in Decline

The house is returned to the Howards, and gradually reduced in scale to make it more manageable. By 1725 only the inner court remains.

1751Rescued from Decay

Elizabeth, Countess of Portsmouth, inherits part of the estate, and buys the house from Lord Howard of Effingham. She saves it from decay and reduces the house even more, demolishing the east range.

1762Modernisation

Elizabeth's nephew Sir John Griffin Griffin, a professional soldier, inherits. He employs Robert Adam to modernise the house and 'Capability' Brown to remodel the gardens and park.

1784State Apartments

Sir John becomes 4th Baron Howard de Walden and creates state apartments, taking a leading role in their design together with his wife, an accomplished decorator.

Read a description of Audley End

1825Restoring the House

Richard Neville, 3rd Baron Braybrooke, inherits. He remodels the house to restore its Jacobean character, and publishes a history of Audley End in 1836.

1858Natural History Collection

When the 4th Lord Braybrooke inherits, he begins to redisplay his extensive natural history collections at Audley End, where they remain today.

1904Edwardian Parties

The house is let to Thomas Ellis, 8th Baron Howard de Walden, who enlivens it with great parties.

1912A Family Home

After Ellis and his wife leave, convinced that the house is haunted, the 7th Lord Braybrooke returns to Audley End and it becomes a family home once more.

1941-4Wartime Secrets

After the 7th Lord Braybrooke's death, Polish soldiers of the Special Operations Executive secretly train here, preparing to be parachuted into German-occupied Poland.

1948Secured for the Nation

The 9th Lord Braybrooke sells Audley End to the nation for £30,000, leaving the pictures and furnishings on loan.

See highlights from the collections at Audley End

1984-New Interpretation

English Heritage takes over guardianship. Recent restoration has focused on the kitchen wing, stables and Braybrooke nursery suite.

Learn more about the history of Audley End

Nearby Places
Similar Places

Prior's Hall Barn
3.99 miles from Audley End House and Gardens
Duxford Chapel
6.26 miles from Audley End House and Gardens
Denny Abbey and the Farmland Museum
18.9 miles from Audley End House and Gardens

Hill Hall
23.99 miles from Audley End House and Gardens
Houghton House
30.27 miles from Audley End House and Gardens
Old Gorhambury House
31.85 miles from Audley End House and Gardens

Nearby Places
- Prior's Hall Barn
  3.99 miles from Audley End House and Gardens
- Duxford Chapel
  6.26 miles from Audley End House and Gardens
- Denny Abbey and the Farmland Museum
  18.9 miles from Audley End House and Gardens
Similar Places
- Hill Hall
  23.99 miles from Audley End House and Gardens
- Houghton House
  30.27 miles from Audley End House and Gardens
- Old Gorhambury House
  31.85 miles from Audley End House and Gardens

Gallery for Audley End House and Gardens

Victorian Horses 28 - 29 Aug

A great value family day out from just £49.40

Meet the Staff at Audley End

Things to See and Do

Explore one of England's greatest mansion houses

Play in our Victorian Nursery and discover our coal gallery

Discover the Life of a Victorian Servant

Gallop over to our Victorian Stable Yard

Enjoy our Glorious Gardens

Feeling Peckish?

Let off Steam

Explore acres of parklands

What's On

Heritage Live - Simple Minds

Heritage Live - The Bootleg Beatles

Heritage Live - Elbow

Heritage Live - Tom Jones

Victorian Horses of Audley End

BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair

Members' Event: Churchill's Secret Army - 80th Anniversary Event

Harvest Falconry at Audley End

Halloween Half Term at Audley End

Spooky Woodland Walks at Audley End

Enchanted Audley

Guidebook: Audley End

Audley End Timeline

1139De Mandeville Family

1538From Abbey to Mansion

1605-14Jacobean House

1667-8In Royal Hands

1701-25The House in Decline

1751Rescued from Decay

1762Modernisation

1784State Apartments

1825Restoring the House

1858Natural History Collection

1904Edwardian Parties

1912A Family Home

1941-4Wartime Secrets

1948Secured for the Nation

1984-New Interpretation

Audley End House Jigsaw Puzzle

Prior's Hall Barn

Duxford Chapel

Denny Abbey and the Farmland Museum

Prior's Hall Barn

Duxford Chapel

Denny Abbey and the Farmland Museum

Hill Hall

Houghton House

Old Gorhambury House

Gallery for Audley End House and Gardens

HOLIDAY IN THE HEART OF ENGLISH HISTORY

The Victorian Way Gifts

CART YARD CAFÉ AT AUDLEY END HOUSE

UNLIMITED ACCESS TO OVER 400 HISTORIC PLACES

FREE ENTRY FOR UP TO SIX CHILDREN

FREE HANDBOOK TO PLAN INSPIRING DAYS OUT, WORTH £10.95

FREE OR REDUCED ENTRY TO OUR EXCITING EVENTS