I visited Melford Hall at the end of a long weekend in Suffolk at the start of September, and the weather was beautiful on my visit. Melford Hall's history is a varied one; it was home to medieval monks before the Hyde Parker family came into possession of it. The family still live in the house. One of its claims to fame is its connection with Beatrix Potter.
When I visited, we had a really good guide who gave us in-depth history of the house and told us about the 1942 fire. The fire was started by soldiers who had requisitioned the hall during the war. The fire destroyed one of the wings of the hall, and it was rebuilt. Originally, the site of the hall was a medieval building held by abbots of the Bury St. Edmunds monastery. The hall was primarily built in the 16th century and incorporated these medieval rooms into its layout.
The entrance to the manor opens into the Great Hall, which is thought to be the oldest part of the house.
A guest book is signed by Beatrix Potter with a little drawing of a clothed rabbit.
Off of the Great Hall (on the right), is the entrance to the wing that burned in the 1942 fire that the soldiers started in the upstairs floor when they decided to pick a lock to play cards and smoke. The wing was rebuilt, and the rooms are not nearly as lavish.
Additional rooms include the parlour and library.
Up the stairs at the top of the stairs is the boudoir, which was created for the wife as a wedding present.
It is a small room with chandelier, piano, mirrors, and several seats.
The upstairs hallway contains some paintings and stained glass windows, such as the one below that features Elizabeth I.
Further along the hallway are additional bedrooms for nursery and guests.
The connection with Beatrix Potter to the house is via a cousin of the family. She frequented the hall from the late-1800s. The below room is where Beatrix Potter stayed during her visits. Some of these upstairs rooms contain her drawings.
The original Jemima Puddle-duck is on display in the house, and these were Potter's toys that helped her make her drawings. This one was a gift to the Hyde Parker children. Potter often brought animals with her, and the children loved to see them.
There are quite a lot of Potter's illustrations around the house.
Further along is one of the main bedrooms.
There are some lovely views over the grounds from the upper windows.
Near the exit and cafe is a series of Potter's drawings of different items or areas around Melford Hall. Her studies of different objects helped her in her illustrations, and visitors may recognise many that she used in her illustrations.
A garden room or gate house could also be visited, and it sits at one corner of the garden.
National Trust have been managing the property since 1960, and it was first opened to the public in 1955. It is a pleasant visit, but the property has few opening hours for the house. I would recommend a visit if you are in the area.
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