National Trust - Melford Hall - Sudbury

Melford Hall: A Comprehensive Guide to the National Trust Gem in Long Melford

Nestled in the heart of Suffolk, the National Trust's Melford Hall is a historic gem that offers a unique blend of history, art, and natural beauty. This grand country house, surrounded by beautiful gardens, is a must-visit for anyone interested in the UK's rich heritage. This comprehensive guide will delve into the main services, location and access, featured characteristics, practical information, and customer reviews of Melford Hall.

Main Services

• Historic House Tours: Explore the grandeur of Melford Hall through guided tours. The house is filled with art, furniture, and artifacts that tell the story of the(?span class="highlight"> Cowdray(/?span) family, who have lived here for centuries.
• Gardens: Stroll through the stunning gardens, designed by leading landscape architects of the 18th and 19th centuries. The gardens feature a secret garden, a walled garden, and a Mediterranean garden, among others.
• Events and Exhibitions: Melford Hall hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including art exhibitions, concerts, and family activities.
• Café and Gift Shop: The on-site café offers a range of refreshments, from light snacks to full meals. The gift shop stocks a variety of items, including locally sourced produce and handmade crafts.

Location and Access

Melford Hall is located at Long Melford, Sudbury, Suffolk, with the postcode CO10 9AA. It is situated off the A134, with easy access from the M11 and A14. There is a wheelchair-accessible car park on-site, and the hall and gardens are also wheelchair-accessible.

For those traveling by public transport, the nearest train station is Sudbury, which is approximately 4 miles away. From there, you can take a taxi or use the National Trust's shuttle bus service (available on certain days).

Featured Characteristics

• Architecture: Melford Hall is an Elizabethan-style manor house, with a mix of architectural styles reflecting its history. The house features a stunning great hall, beautiful fireplaces, and intricate plasterwork.
• Art Collection: The house is home to an impressive collection of art, including paintings by renowned artists such as Gainsborough, Reynolds, and Romney.
• Gardens: The gardens at Melford Hall are a highlight of any visit. They feature a variety of planting schemes, including a beautiful rose garden, an Alpine garden, and a water garden.
• Parkland: The estate includes extensive parkland, offering wonderful walks and wildlife spotting opportunities.

Practical Information

• Opening Times: The house and gardens are open daily from 11 am to 5 pm, from late March to the end of October. The gardens remain open on selected weekends from November to February.
• Admission: Admission is free for National Trust members. For non-members, house and garden admission costs £13.50 for adults and £6.75 for children (ages 5-17). Garden-only admission is £7.50 for adults.
• Accessibility: Melford Hall and its gardens are largely wheelchair-accessible. However, some areas of the house may not be accessible due to its historic nature.
• Contact Information: You can contact Melford Hall by phone at 1787379228 or via their website, nationaltrust.org.uk.

Customer Reviews

Melford Hall has a Google My Business rating of 4.5/5 from 1298 reviews, indicating a high level of customer satisfaction. Positive aspects mentioned in the reviews include:

• The beauty and tranquility of the gardens.
• The knowledgeable and friendly staff and volunteers.
• The variety of events and exhibitions on offer.
• The excellent on-site café and gift shop.
• The suitability of the attraction for families, with games and activities for children.
• The house's fascinating history and art collection.

Melford Hall offers a unique and memorable experience, combining history, art, and natural beauty. With its stunning gardens, impressive house, and wealth of facilities, it is a must-visit destination in Suffolk. Whether you're a history enthusiast, an art lover, or simply enjoy a beautiful day out, Melford Hall has something to offer everyone.

❓ Frequently asked questions about National Trust - Melford Hall

👍 Reviews of National Trust - Melford Hall

David B.

5/5

Lovely cosy house, very knowledgeable volunteers, the present owners still live in one of the wings. Very nice tea room and cafe for snacks or lunch, good second hand book shop. We enjoyed our two hour visit.

Petya I.

5/5

Great day out with the family with some great weather. The gardens are not too big and have family games or enjoy with little once. Nice cafe with scones. There are national trust tours revealing some interesting stories about the house and the estate.

Val G.

5/5

A love the scale of this place, it feels so intimate. There are some very sweet touches, like baskets of games for children, all around the grounds. Badminton and huge draughts game set up on the front lawn. We'll be back!

Eugene H.

4/5

Interesting visit to Melford Hall today. Steeped in history it goes back to the 16th century. Nice little cafe there also with outside tables and picnic area. Beatrix Potter wrote some of her books whilst staying there and they and they even have the original Jemima Puddle-Duck on display. Extensive grounds with pleasant walks, all in all a pleasant day out

Barry ?. B. B.

5/5

Another good day out at a national trust house. Good grounds easy to walk and an interesting Georgian house, with s strong connection to Beatrix Potter.

Peter C.

5/5

The house is full of interesting artifacts and well-informed staff are on-hand if you have any questions. We were given a ten minute contextualisation talk as we arrived (repeated throughout the day, I think) and this set the scene very well - it's very helpful, given the long history of the site. Well worth a visit!

P_Addler

5/5

Been to Melford Hall twice and each time I discover something new. It’s a beautiful home that is still owned by the family, but partially owned by the @nationaltrust. It has had many revamps due to fire and different owners, but it is a lovely intriguing building with ties to Queen Elizabeth the first and Beatrix Potter. My favourite room would be the Drawing room at Th e top of the sweeping staircase! Definitely worth a visit. The guides are a wealth of knowledge so asking them questions makes it more fun. Chris as well as he others are a wealth of knowledge, but don’t forget to ask if they are #sconeAsinGone. Oh, and the gardens are lovely too. I liked that they are wheel chair friendly downstairs and that you can actually borrow a scooter. It was also nice to see that they try to make it as inclusive as possible.

Paul J.

4/5

Interesting house, where the family still reside. Some wonderful architecture and furniture. Volunteers extremely knowledgeable. Not much in the way of formal gardens but expansive parkland.