Kelmarsh Hall
Brick-built elegant, eighteenth-century country house.
Main Road, Kelmarsh, Northampton, NN6 9LY
Facilities
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Accessible loos
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Accessible parking
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Cafe / restaurant
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Easily accessible without car
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Facilities for children
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Free parking
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Mostly wheelchair accessible
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Parkland / open spaces
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Pet friendly
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Picnic area
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Shop
We work hard to ensure that all visitors to Kelmarsh can access as much of the site, with as few restrictions as possible. We reserve space for blue badge parking in front of the visitor centre, and access to the visitor centre is ramped.
We offer a useful orientation map which shows where the location of the assisted access points to the hall and gardens, as well as the disabled toilets and baby changing. It also shows the accessibility of the garden pathways, showing any steps or steep gradients. Many paths in the garden are loose gravel so we recommend that wheelchair users bring a companion to assist them.
Ramps and platform lifts are in place in the Hall to provide almost complete access to the site. We have two platform lifts, one for the main hall and one to provide access to the laundry block and the Learning & Activity Centre. Please ask a member of staff for assistance using the lifts.
Unfortunately, the first floor rooms can only be accessed via a staircase. The laundry tunnel has two steps which may restrict access, but each end can be easily accessed by using the platform lifts.
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 Kelmarsh Hall; but none more so than Nancy Lancaster, ‘doyenne of the Country House style’, whose unique influence still oozes through the décor and style of Kelmarsh today.
Below Stairs at Kelmarsh, visitors can also experience the stories of the Victorian Servants’ living and working in the old servants quarters, through the old laundry tunnel and into the wet and dry laundry rooms. The perfect place for children to explore as they have a go at polishing silver and looking for the resident ghost.
Upstairs, along with Nancy’s bedroom and the Gentleman’s Suite, visitors can find the ‘Story of Kelmarsh’ exhibition featuring a timeline of Kelmarsh’s history and items from the Kelmarsh archive.
The Hall is surrounded by its working estate, grazing parklands and Grade II listed gardens. Boasting 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.
For children there is a fairy walk located in the woodland, and a moo trail to enjoy around the Hall.
In the visitor centre, visitors can find the stable yard giftshop, and Sweet Pea’s Tearoom serving lunches, hot drinks and cakes. Pre-bookable afternoon teas also available.
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.
Opening Times
Open Season: Sunday 1st March – Thursday 29th October 2026
Hall Opening Hours
The Hall is open on the following days during the open season:
- Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 10am–4pm (last entry 2.30pm)
- Thursday mornings: 10am–1pm (last entry 12.15pm)
- April and May Bank Holiday Mondays: 10am–4pm (last entry 3pm)
Hall Closures: The Hall is closed on Sunday 31st May, Tuesday 2nd June, Wednesday 3rd June, Thursday 16th July, Tuesday 11th August, Wednesday 12th August, Tuesday 18th August, Wednesday 19th August, and Thursday 20th August. The Hall and Gardens are both closed on Wednesday 17th June, Sunday 30th August, and Monday 31st August due to private events.
Gardens Opening Hours
The Gardens are open on the following days during the open season:
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday: 10am–4pm (last entry 3pm)
- Bank Holiday Mondays: 10am–4pm (last entry 3pm)
The Gardens and Tearoom remain open on days when the Hall is closed, except for Wednesday 17th June, Sunday 30th August, and Monday 31st August when both are closed.
Woodland, Lakeside & Fairy Walk
Open when conditions allow during the open season (March – October 2026). These areas may be closed for short periods due to external events. Check the website or call 01604 686543 before visiting for updates on any closures.
Special Openings
- Every Friday in May 2026: Special Extra Garden Opening
- Saturday 23rd May 2026: Special Extra Hall & Garden Opening
- Sunday 8th June 2026: National Garden Scheme Open Day, 10am–4pm
- Thursday 12th September 2026: Heritage Open Day – Kelmarsh Gardens Through Time, 11am–3pm
Festive Opening
The Hall and Gardens will be open on Wednesday 10th December, Thursday 11th December, and Sunday 14th December from 10am–2pm each day.
Exhibitions
The Story of Kelmarsh Exhibition is open during usual Hall opening days throughout the open season. Dressing Room and Fashion at Kelmarsh Exhibition is also open during the 2026 season.
Historic Houses members visit for free.
Adult Admission
House and Gardens: £12 Gardens Only: £8
Concession Admission
House and Gardens: £11 Gardens Onl: £7
Children Admission
House and Gardens: £6.50 Gardens Only: £4.50
Kelmarsh welcomes pre-arranged group visits – usual admission prices apply, and can be booked by emailing [email protected]
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.
Kelmarsh’s Hall volunteer guides take you around the Hall, room to room brining the history of Kelmarsh to life. Or enjoy a tour with our Head Gardener for those interested in the historic gardens.
Bespoke packages including refreshments can be provided.
School visits welcome, please email [email protected].
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.
We work hard to ensure that all visitors to Kelmarsh can access as much of the site, with as few restrictions as possible. We reserve space for blue badge parking in front of the visitor centre, and access to the visitor centre is ramped.
We offer a useful orientation map which shows where the location of the assisted access points to the hall and gardens, as well as the disabled toilets and baby changing. It also shows the accessibility of the garden pathways, showing any steps or steep gradients. Many paths in the garden are loose gravel so we recommend that wheelchair users bring a companion to assist them.
Ramps and platform lifts are in place in the Hall to provide almost complete access to the site. We have two platform lifts, one for the main hall and one to provide access to the laundry block and the Learning & Activity Centre. Please ask a member of staff for assistance using the lifts.
Unfortunately, the first floor rooms can only be accessed via a staircase. The laundry tunnel has two steps which may restrict access, but each end can be easily accessed by using the platform lifts.
Getting here
Main Road, Kelmarsh, Northampton, NN6 9LY
Arriving by road:
FROM THE A14 (FOR THE M1 AND M6)
Take the exit at Junction 2, and head north towards Market Harborough. Kelmarsh is 500m north from the A14, taking the left turn from the crossroads.
FROM THE A508
The entrance to the hall is located on the main A508 road, 5 miles south of Market Harborough and 11 miles north of Northampton.
Arriving by Public Transport:
Kelmarsh is easily accessible by public transport, with two nearby train stations. Northampton Station has regular trains to London Euston and Birmingham New Street and Market Harborough Station has regular trains to London St Pancras and Nottingham.
There is a regular bus service (Stagecoach X7) which runs from Leicester to Milton Keynes, via Market Harborough and Northampton, which stops outside the entrance.
Why our members love visiting Kelmarsh Hall
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