Kelmarsh Hall
Brick-built elegant, eighteenth-century country house.
Main Road, Kelmarsh, Northampton, NN6 9LY
Facilities
- Accessible parking
- Cafe / restaurant
- Easily accessible without car
- Facilities for children
- Free parking
- Mostly wheelchair accessible
- Parkland / open spaces
- Pet friendly
- Picnic area
- Shop
- Wheelchair ramps/routes
- Accessible parking
Built in 1732, successive owners and influences have left their imprint on this elegant Palladian style home.
From noted antiquarian William Hanbury to banker and horse-racing enthusiasts Richard Naylor, each resident’s stories can be found within the hall; but none more so than Nancy Lancaster, ‘doyenne of the Country House style’ or the servants working and living ‘below stairs’ and in the laundry.
Kelmarsh evokes the warmth of a home, within the stories of past residents and for visitors today.
The Hall is surrounded by its working estate, grazing parklands and Grade II listed gardens. Kelmarsh boasts a distinctive Walled Garden, Sunken Garden, topiary and rose gardens, woodlands, lake and herbaceous borders – all designed principally by Nancy Lancaster, with Norah Lindsay and landscape architect Geoffrey Jellicoe.
The informal, feminine designs laid out by Nancy are welcoming throughout the year, and are celebrated for their dizzying array of dahlias in late summer.
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.
Hall and Gardens open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and some bank holiday Mondays 10am – 4pm, last entry 3pm
Gardens open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday and some bank holiday Mondays 10am – 4pm, last entry 3pm
Please check the website before visiting for the most up to date opening days and hours
Historic Houses members visit for free.
Gardens
Adult: £6, Child: £3.50, Concessions: £5.50, Family: £15
Hall and Gardens
Adult: £10, Child: £5,50 Concessions: £9, Family: £30
- Single season ticket price: £25
- Family season ticket price: £40
We welcome groups throughout the season, where there is much to discover during a day’s visit. Enjoy listening to the stories about the history of the occupants and the contents, or enjoy the hall and gardens at your own pace.
There are a number of different visits you can book:
- Visit to the hall and Gardens (unguided)
- A tour of the hall (specific weekdays only)
- Visit to the gardens
- Guided garden tour
Groups must be a minimum of 15 people but please note we request that all groups whatever size, contact us in advance so that we can offer you the best experience.
Foundation Stage
Growing in the Gardens: Our trained garden education volunteers deliver an active session where children learn about how plants grow from seeds to flowers/food, linking with the life-cycles element of the current curriculum. Complimented by a visit to our gardens, we offer a range of opportunities to plant, monitor, draw and eat to help develop awareness of how seasons and life cycles impact plant growth.
KS1, KS2
Discovering the History of the Country House: Through a range of activities such as cooking, craft, listening and looking, problem solving and object handlings, students will learn about place, people objects and events in history. They will discover how ideas, technologies, beliefs and attitudes have changed over the centuries; all linking with current QCA and other history and D&T Curriculum specifications. Programmes focusing on Science, Art and Design and History are developed for sessions in our recently restored laundry and servants quarters.
To book a school visit call 01604 686543, email learning@kelmarsh.com.
- Wheelchair ramps/routes
- Accessible parking
Getting here
Main Road, Kelmarsh, Northampton, NN6 9LY
On the border between Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, 1m N of A14, junction 2. Close links to M1 and M6.
5 minute walk from the local cus stop, served by X7 Milton Keynes – Leicestershire Stagecoach.
5 miles from Market Harborough Train Station, with links to London St Pancras and Nottingham.
Why our members love visiting Kelmarsh Hall
Become a Historic Houses member
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