Join

Holdenby House

A historic Northamptonshire country house, traditionally pronounced, and sometimes spelt, Holmby.

Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN6 8DJ

Holdenby House in Northampton

Experience this house

Visit

Free admission to members of Historic Houses when you show a valid membership card.
Free admission to members of Historic Houses when you show a valid membership card.
Facilities
  • Accessible loos
  • Cafe / restaurant
  • Free parking
  • Garden only
  • Mostly wheelchair accessible
  • Shop
for the latest information.
Accessibility
  • Accessible toilets
  • Accessible parking
  • Guide dogs welcome
  • Wheelchair ramps/routes
Does our information need updating?
Let us know here

Once the largest private house in England and subsequently the palace of James I and prison of Charles I, Holdenby has appeared in the BBC’s acclaimed adaptations of Great Expectations and The Woman in White.

Sitting on a hill overlooking 2,000 acres of rolling countryside, its suite of elegant state rooms open onto beautiful Grade I-listed gardens 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.

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.

Opening Times

Please note: The information on the Historic Houses website is advisory, but please always check the website of the house or garden you intend to visit before travelling.

View website

The Gardens & Falconry Centre are open on weekends & Bank Holiday Mondays from 6 April to 20 September, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.

House is open on Bank Holidays 12pm-3pm (last admission 2.30pm)
There is a small surcharge for HH members for the house

Admission

Historic Houses members visit the garden and grounds for free.

Adults: £9.50, Concessions (over 65’s): £8.50, Children (5-16 years) £6.00, Family (2+2) £25.00

House Opening:

Adults: £14.00, Concessions (over 65’s): £11.00, Children (5-16 years) £6.00, Family (2+2) £35.00

Historic House Members £4.50

Group Visits

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.

Prices: £15.00 per head (Inc VAT), with a minimum charge £375.
Packages available can be found on website: www.holdenby.com
or Contact us on office@holdenby.com or 01604 770074.

Educational Visits

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.

Booking

For more information on booking Holdenby House please email: office@holdenby.com or call 01604 770074

for the latest information.
Accessibility
  • Accessible toilets
  • Accessible parking
  • Guide dogs welcome
  • Wheelchair ramps/routes
Does our information need updating?
Let us know here

Getting here

Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN6 8DJ

The main visitor entrance is at ///savings.marmalade.binderWhat 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.

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...

Holdenby House horses and cart leaving the historic gate

Visit houses nearby

Free
Cottesbrooke Hall front view

Cottesbrooke Hall

Cottesbrooke, Northamptonshire, NN6 8PF

Free
Kelmarsh Hall in Northampton

Kelmarsh Hall

Main Road, Kelmarsh, Northampton, NN6 9LY

Free
Althorp

Althorp

Northampton, NN7 4HQ

Become a Historic Houses member

Explore the nation’s heritage from just £68 per year.

Hundreds of the most beautiful historic houses, castles, and gardens across Britain offer our members free entry.

Also: receive a quarterly magazine, enjoy monthly online lectures, get exclusive invitations to buy tickets for behind-the-scenes tours, and take up a range of special offers on holidays, books, and other products you might like.

Join now
Holdenby House beautiful historic garden in Northampton

Sign up for our newsletter

Read more of our stories, receive exclusive content, and find out what’s on.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. For information about our privacy practices, please visit our privacy policy.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.