Holdenby House
A historic Northamptonshire country house, traditionally pronounced, and sometimes spelt, Holmby.
Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN6 8DJ
Facilities
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Accessible loos
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Cafe / restaurant
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Free parking
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Garden only
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Mostly wheelchair accessible
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Shop
- Accessible toilets
- Accessible parking
- Guide dogs welcome
- Wheelchair ramps/routes
Once the largest private house in England and Elizabethan England’s greatest house, then a royal palace of James I and a prison to King Charles I, Holdenby House is now a private family home welcoming visitors to its Grade I garden, Icarus Falconry Centre and The Old Stableyard Tearoom.
Sitting on a hill overlooking 2,000 acres of rolling countryside, its suite of elegant state rooms open onto beautiful Grade I-listed gardens with borders designed by Rosemary Verey and Rupert Golby, making it an enchanting and ever popular venue for weddings.
The combination of grandeur and intimacy also make it a magnificent location for corporate dinners and meetings, while the spacious grounds have accommodated many large events from Civil War battles to food shows and Formula One parties. Holdenby has appeared in the BBC’s acclaimed adaptations of Great Expectations and The Woman in White.
The Education Department, which has won more awards than any other house in England, delivers innovative living history projects, where staff and pupils are in character for a range of activities.
Day visitors can enjoy Sunday garden openings and other special event days with stunning flying displays from Icarus Falconry located in the walled garden.
Historic Houses members can visit the gardens for free.
Invitation to View tours
There is a one-hour tour of the ground floor followed by tea and cake in The Old Stableyard Tearoom, then visitors are free to explore the gardens.
The visit incorporates King Charles’ favourite walk during his five-month imprisonment and the place where he was taken away by Cromwell’s forces to his eventual trial and execution.
Tours that are scheduled will be listed below. If none are scheduled yet, please check back later, or find other tours you might enjoy on our tours listing page here.
Important information: opening info is generated by artificial intelligence; check specific attraction details before travelling.
The indicator above will show ‘open’ when the public have any kind of access to any part of this property. That could be the park, a shop, or a special event, and may not reflect regular admission times to the main attraction. Always consult the website of the house or garden you intend to visit before travelling to check that the attraction you are interested in is open.
Holdenby House and its associated attractions are currently closed for the winter season. The gardens, falconry center, and tearoom will reopen for the 2026 season. The team at Holdenby House thanks all visitors for their support during 2025 and looks forward to welcoming everyone again in 2026.
Gardens and Falconry
The gardens and the Icarus Falconry Center will be open on designated open days during the summer season of 2026. The gardens include several notable features:
- The Elizabethan Garden: Planted in 1980 by Rosemary Verey, featuring plants available in 1583.
- The Kitchen Garden: A fully functioning garden providing vegetables and flowers for the house.
- The Tous Tous Border: A fragrant garden replanted in the 1980s.
- King Charles' Walk: A historic walk associated with King Charles I.
- The Palace Garden: Located over the demolished section of the original palace.
- The Elizabethan Pond: A historic pond built between 1583 and 1587.
- The Pond Garden: Features formal planting around the pond.
- The Basecourt Arches: Historic arches from the original palace.
- The Cruck Cottage: A traditional cottage built in 1983 using historic methods.
- The Silver Border: A border with plants bearing silver foliage or white flowers.
The Icarus Falconry Center houses a collection of birds of prey and other wildlife, with flying demonstrations on open days.
The Old Stableyard Tearoom
The tearoom is currently closed and will reopen in 2026. Millie's Bakery continues to take bookings and attend markets.
Admission
Sundays Admission – Garden and Falconry
Historic Houses members visit the garden and grounds for free.
Adult: £12.00 Child: (5-16): £6.00 Concession (over 65’s) £11.00 Family Pass (2+2) £30.00 HH Free
Bank Holiday Mondays Admission – House, Garden and Falconry:
Adult: £16.50, Child (5-16): £8.00, Concession: (over 65’s): £14.00, Family Pass: £41.00, HH Members: £4.50
Private tours may be booked for group parties on weekdays.
The visit includes a guided tour of the downstairs of the house and as much time as you want in the gardens.
Refreshment options also available.
To find out more about the packages available contact us on [email protected] or 01604 770074.
Our Education Department is amongst the most prestigious in the country and is proud to announce that they have been awarded their 7th consecutive Sandford Award, an award given by the Heritage Education Trust for continued excellence in education. Also awarded is a new award, the Frances Garnham Award, given for the innovative way in which the education programme is delivered. We also hold an award for work with Special Needs children.
Our awards recognise our innovative living history projects, where staff and pupils are in character for a range of hands on activities. All our projects marry the requirements of the National Curriculum with real aspects of Holdenby’s history. The House, Grade I listed Gardens, 14th century Church and Estate are a perfect backdrop to the children’s visit and are integrated into our education programme.
Our trained and costumed interpreters have years of experience, are sensitive and flexible to the children’s educational needs. Teachers are invited to come for a pre-visit prior to the actual day to ensure that the project chosen satisfies their needs.
All weather facilities are available.
For more information on booking Holdenby House please email: [email protected] or call 01604 770074
- Accessible toilets
- Accessible parking
- Guide dogs welcome
- Wheelchair ramps/routes
Holdenby House, Northamptonshire
Holdenby House, Northamptonshire
My maternal great grandmother lived at Holdenby for many years, entirely at night, with staff hired to serve meals throughout the hours of darkness. On a rare walk in the garden during the daytime, she accosted an unfamiliar man in the garden and asked him what he was doing there. “Your ladyship” he replied, “I am the head gardener “. Things are a little different now...
Getting here
Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN6 8DJ
The main visitor entrance is at ///savings.marmalade.binder. What does this mean?
Holdenby is located six miles north west of Northampton, 1 hour from London and 45 minutes from Birmingham. Just eight miles from the M1 the house can be found between the A428 and A5199.
Visit houses nearby
Cottesbrooke Hall
Cottesbrooke, Northamptonshire, NN6 8PF
Kelmarsh Hall
Main Road, Kelmarsh, Northampton, NN6 9LY
Althorp
Northampton, NN7 4HQ
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