Felbrigg Hall
Felbrigg NR11 8PR
Now owned and run by the National Trust, Felbrigg Hall sits in a handsome slice of parkland a couple of miles southwest of Cromer along the A148, a beautifully preserved Jacobean mansion that is relatively unknown beyond the county borders. This is both a pity and a bonus, as it gets relatively few visitors even during summer months and ni any case the grounds are large enough to absorb any number of people. The nice thing about the house is that it displays quite a few homely touches among the elegant furnishings and grand paintings; there are dressing up clothes for kids, too, and lots of details to appeal to little ones. The dining and sitting rooms that almost feel like someone could be living here, although the houses' collection of Italia paintings quickly brings you back to reality, as does the grand library and the extensive kitchens and other ‘below stairs’ areas. Outside, the walled garden is festooned with herbaceous borders, and the stables hold a nice tearoom with seating outside, and there are plant sales and lots of things on the lawn children to play with. But the grounds beyond are perhaps Felbrigg's most impressive feature: the estate was once one of the largest in Norfolk and is still home to a vast area of parkland deep woodland, all navigable by way of marked paths.
