Ingatestone Hall

Ingatestone Hall is open to the public from Easter to the end of September. During this period, the Hall is generally open on Wednesdays, Sundays, and bank holidays from 12:00 noon to 5:00 PM, with the last entry at 4:00 PM. Special events may alter these times, and visitors are advised to check for updates before visiting.

Admission prices for 2025 are as follows:

• Adults: £10.40
• Pensioners: £8.40
• Children (5-16): £5.25
• Under 5s: Free

Guided tours are available by prior arrangement throughout the year, even outside public opening times. These tours last approximately 1.5 hours and can accommodate up to 25 people per group, with a maximum of three groups running concurrently. Charges for guided tours in 2025 are:

• Up to 25 persons: £190.00
• 26-50 persons: £250.00
• 51-75 persons: £325.00

Special events and private bookings may affect access to the Hall and grounds. For example, on Sunday, 29th June 2025, the normal public opening is replaced by the Essex County Craft Show.

Facilities include free parking, a gift shop, and the Summer Parlour serving teas and light lunches during public openings. Accessibility is limited due to the historic nature of the building, with no access to the upper floor and some challenging terrain in the grounds.

In December 2025, the Hall hosts events such as wreath-making workshops and a theatrical performance titled "Scrooge's Vampire Christmas." Specific dates and times for these events are provided in the calendar.

For 2026, specific public openings include:

• 5th August 2026: Self-guided tours from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
• 29th July 2026: Conducted tours from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
• 27th June 2026: Self-guided tours from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• 17th June 2026: Self-guided tours from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

For further details, visitors are encouraged to contact the Hall directly.

Historic Houses members visit for free.

Adults: £10.50
Concessions: £8.40
Children (5-16): £5.25
Under 5: Free

By prior arrangement only, tours of the house and grounds, led by our experienced guides, are offered throughout the year when we are not otherwise open to visitors, even on days when we are open to the general public.

Private tours can be arranged in the morning or evening and the takes about 1.5 hours. Time can be allowed for a visit to our gift shop, or for refreshments or a light meal in the Summer Parlour and an opportunity to relax in the gardens.  Refreshments and meals can be provided with prior notice.

Individual tour groups are limited to a maximum of 25 persons but it is possible to run up to three separate tours concurrently.

Please ring the Estate Office (01277 353010) during normal office hours.

Ingatestone Hall is a valuable resource for teachers organising expeditions or field trips for their pupils.

In our experience, the venue is most suitable for pupils in the last year of primary school but older and younger students are welcome too.  The Hall is not a museum but, having been occupied by the same family for 450 years it largely retains its original form and appearance and contains furniture, pictures and memorabilia.  William Petre, who built the Hall, was a leading Tudor statesman and the well-documented details of his life and those of his descendants illuminate many aspects of English history.

In addition, the Hall and its grounds provide material for study and project work in Art & Design, Geography, Science and Mathematics.

School visits normally take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Fridays during the Summer Term but can sometimes be arranged at other times.  Such visits do not take place when the house and grounds are open to the public and only one school party is admitted on any particular day.

Christopher Singh
[email protected]
07843 094622