Hearing that our visitors have a great experience means so much to us and everyone who works hard to ensure we can you can the space and activities we offer. We are over the moon to share a couple reviews with you...
'Enjoyable any time of year but worth trying to time your visit with some of the excellent special events. Today inside the house were costumed volunteers in all of the rooms. Many had activities and demonstrations for children - cook in the kitchen was especially good fun. The house is furnished and decorated in lots of different periods, from the imposing entrance room, looking as it did in the 1630s, Georgian interiors to the final room which is a 1930s family sitting room. The costumed volunteers and their activities or small plays they were acting out matched in with these periods. It gave the house a really lived in atmosphere.
It was also all action outside today as the orchard and farm had an open day. Linked to Capel Manor college and used by their students as well as local volunteers - this was our first chance to look around. The Orchard that was planted in 2011 is really taking shape. There were plenty of apple related games and activities - mainly aimed at children. About a dozen local crafts and food stalls were there including demonstrations of felting and weaving. We bought food from two of the temporary stalls there for apple day so are not able to comment on the tearoom/cafe. Children (and plenty of adults) also had the chance to see some of their rare breeds of goats, sheep, and pigs. The highlight though was the largest vinyard inside the M25 - complete with wine tasting. The vines looked lovely - showing a golden colour for early autumn.
We were still in good time to enjoy the walled garden. Its looking very well maintained and still with plenty of colour in the flowerbeds and early autumn colour in some trees. We were struck by how similar the planting is to the adjacent Myddleton house and wondered about the connections between the two gardens - which had strong family links. We finished the day with a walk around the estate. We took the purple trail which is just over two miles - starting at the walled garden before following the ornamental lakes. Again some lovely autumn colour in the cherries and hornbeams and some wild chestnuts to roast back home. Perfect autumn.'
A.C
'London Open House weekend in September inspired us to visit the house for the first time since the extensive refurbishment completed in 2012.
The rooms are well presented, with all the rooms on the ground floor and first floor dressed with suitable furniture and artifacts, including a splendid replica of a King James 1 bible in the bedroom.
The self guided tour is well marked with informative panels in each of the rooms.
The second floor only has two rooms that contain exhibits as the remainder are used as meeting rooms. But the views across the parkland from the top floor towards the site of Elsynge Palace are stunning.The panels in these rooms clearly explain the history of the site and the Royal connections of the former buildings and are well worth reading.The site was important because of its proximity to the royal hunting grounds at Enfield Chase
All in all, a worthwhile visit to this impressive Jacobean house which was a day's ride by horse from London.'
P