Holkham Hall

Built between 1734 and 1764, Holkham Hall is the ancestral home of the Coke family and the Earls of Leicester.  This stately home was built by Thomas Coke, the first Earl, and it reflects the Palladian style of architecture that was very popular in Europe at the time.  Lord Burlington and his apprentice William Kent helped Coke design Holkham Hall and the estate today is the way they had designed it in the 1700’s.  It is now filled with manuscripts and statues that Coke brought back with him during his many international travels.
Thomas coke died in 1759, five years before Holkham Hall was finished.  His widow Lady Margaret Tufton made sure the house was finished and properly furnished, and ruled the manor for the next seventeen years with an iron hand.  When she passed away, the estate was passed on to the Wenman Roberts, the next living male relative.  He changed his name to Coke and his son, Thomas William Coke, inherited shortly thereafter.  Thomas William Coke is best known as ‘Coke of Norfolk’ and was an active and energetic Member of Parliament for fifty-three years.
The estate is not a museum or under the National Trust because the current Viscount, his family, and three other families still reside in the house and on the land.  The hall is closed to the public in the winter but the grounds remain open; academic researchers are allowed access to the library and other artifacts all the year round by appointment.  Many of the items that reside in the house have toured the world and the estate is part of the Historic House Association.

Houghton Hall

Located near King’s Lynn in the county of Norfolk, England, Houghton Hall is a country estate that was built for Sir Robert Walpole, the de facto first Prime Minister of Great Britain.  It was built in the Palladian style of architecture and designed by Colen Campbell, James Gibbs, and William Kent, all well known architects of the period.  The house was built in a rectangular form with a rustic basement and living quarters above.  There are two wings and the corners of the main house each have a beautiful dome.  The inside is colorful and retains the atmosphere of the residence throughout the centuries.

The estate is now held by the Marquess of Cholmondeley who has opened it up to the public.  The lands have a herd of white deer living in the park and peacocks that inhabit the lawns.  Very little of the exterior has changed since it was built in the 18th century.  The house was inherited by the family of the current owners in 1797 and they saved it from disrepair and being sold off.  There has been extensive repair and renovation on and in the house which include a walled flower garden, a ha-ha that has been replaced on the west side of the house, and the addition of a tea room and gift shop.

Houghton Hall’s grounds are open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays, and Bank Holiday Mondays from 11am to 5pm from March 23 through September 28.  The house itself opens at 1:30pm to 5pm with the last admission at 4:30pm.  Admission is £8.00 per adult, £3.00 per child 5 through 16, and £20 for family ticket.  These prices include the house tour.  Without the house tour prices would be £5.00, £2.00, and £12.00 respectively.

The Bridewell Museum

Once upon a time, the Bridewell was a prison in the heart of Norwich, designed specifically for the incarceration of women and beggars.  Today the building is used for a totally different – and much more pleasant – purpose.  The Bridewell is now a historic museum in Norwich, England, that tells visitors the story of how the medieval city in the heart of Norfolk County became well known for its mustard, textiles, shoes, beer and chocolate.
The museum has on display a variety of machinery that was used during the manufacturing of Norwich’s products and the exhibits show how they were used to help people produce the items.  There is a pharmacy recreated here and tourists can examine the many different types of chemicals and compounds that were used over the years to treat the people of the city of various sicknesses and diseases.  A pawnbroker’s and smithy also remain and tourists will delight in the exhibit of shoes that have been made in the city.  Currently the museum is hosting an exhibit for the Norwich City Football Club who are celebrating their 100th birthday.
It is recommended that visitors allow themselves two hours to properly tour the Bridewell Museum.  The museum is not accessible to wheelchairs, although disabled visitors who can walk the exhibits with assistance are welcome to bring one companion with them for free.  Guide dogs are also welcome and the staff will be more than happy to assist visitors with a tailor made tour on request.  The Bridewell is open from March 25 through October 31, 2008 from 10am to 4:30pm Tuesday through Friday, and 10am to 5pm on Saturdays.  It is closed Sunday and Mondays.  Admissions are £3.20 for adults, £1.75 for children and £2.65 for seniors, students, and disabled guests.

The Glandford Shell Museum

The building that houses the Glandford Shell Museum is a small building with Dutch gables built in 1915.  Sir Alfred Jodrell, Baronet, of Bayfield Hall made sure that the building was built to match the rest of the buildings in the village so that there was a harmony between them all.  The museum was built near the river Glaven and it is very common to see wild ducks near the footbridge that can be seen from the museum.
The museum was built to hold a collection of shells that Jodrell had collected for over sixty years.  They had been stored at his estate and when the museum was complete, Jodrell and his two sisters painstakingly arranged the shells in their new glass cases.  The shells were gathered from locations all over the world and the collection is still being added to today.  Every type of shell can be viewed at the museum, from delicately coloured shells to ones that are exquisitely carved.
Shells are not the only items that are displayed at the museum.  Jewels, pottery fragments, agate ware, archaeological items found in Glandford proper, pieces from Pompeii, and a sugar bowl used by Queen Elizabeth I can all be seen here.  There is also a very beautiful tapestry that was made by a local fisherman on display.  There are more items on display at the Glandford Shell Museum, and the collection is very unique.
The museum is run by a small private trust and depends on the income of its visitors and patrons.

Elizabethan House

The Elizabethan House in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England, is a unique museum that allows the visitors to get a feel for what family life was like between the Tudor and Victorian eras.  Fans of British television will enjoy discovering what a kitchen and scullery maid’s days were about in the ‘upstairs, downstairs’ hands-on format and families have the opportunity to try on Tudor costumes, experiencing the feel of the starched ruffled collars so prevalent in the time.  The toy room has plenty of activities for the children and the Conspiracy Room gives guests a chance to discuss the ‘conspiracy’ around Charles I’s death.
There is a very unusual exhibit there called the Haddiscoe Hoard that was acquired in December of 2005.  This collection of over 300 silver coins range from Edward VI in 1550 to Charles I in 1646.  It is part of a display that chronicles the life of citizens in Great Yarmouth during the English Civil War which was from 1642 through 1649.  This collection is that largest hoard from that period that was ever found in the county.  Visitors will find the collection in the ‘Conspiracy Room’, appropriate considering Oliver Cromwell was part of the Parliamentarians during the time and visited the house often, possibly even with co-conspirators to plot the death of Charles I.
Craft lessons are available at the museum and visitors can lean how to make carved clay tiles, window cards, toys from the Victorian era, and stationary to use to mail letters to friends in a Penny Post celebration.  There is also a class in which visitors can make a mini diorama of a Victorian home and the kitchen has some very tasty treats available.

Fakenham Museum of Gas

An interesting museum that can be found in Fakenham, Norfolk, England, is the Fakenham Museum of Gas and Local History.  It is currently housed in the town’s last gas works which ceased producing gas from coal in 1965.  The discovery of gas in the North Sea contributed to the closing of the plant.  The gas works is the only works that survived destruction and it has been given the designation of a Scheduled Ancient Monument, one of the highest honours that can be given to such an establishment in the country, making it a national treasure.

The collection of artefacts in the museum is a view of the past that gives the visitors an insight into the history of William Murdoch who founded the gasworks in 1846.  At the time only eight men were employed there and the gasworks provided service for 500 consumers in the area.  After the discovery of gas in the North Sea, most of the gasworks that provided gas by burning coal closed down.  Fakenham shut down when a main trunk line for Norwich was run to the city.  It was scheduled under Section 1 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979;  it was inaugurated in 1987.

Currently the buildings of the gasworks are being renovated and prepared for more exhibits and many people are excited about the restoration of this historical site.  Other projects include cleaning the retort house, weather proofing, rust treatment, weather treating the outdoors exhibits and adding a tearoom for their visitors.  If you are interested in volunteering for the project, contact the museum.

Admission is free but donations are highly appreciated.  It is open all year round on a Thursday from 10:30am to 1pm until June.  From June to August it is open on a Thursday from 10:30am to 3:30pm, and on Bank Holidays from 10:30am to 3:30pm.

The Thursford Collection

Located in the small village of Thursford, Norfolk, England, the Thursford Collection Museum is an interesting attraction that, amongst other things, simulates an old-fashioned fairground.  Amusement park rides, such as carousels, occupy the same large space as the steam engine collection and visitors will be amazed at the variety of mechanical organs that are exhibited there.  These organs range in size from the smallest street organ to the huge dance and fairground organs that were once found all over the United Kingdom.

There is a daily musical show with the resident organist (currently Robert Wolfe) at the Wurlitzer Cinema organ and he entertains fans of all ages. The music from today is played along with some stretching back to the silent movie days.  The entire attraction is housed in old farm buildings that have been renovated specifically for this use.  In November and December the entire establishment is prepared for the huge Christmas show which visitors from all over England travel to see.  Gift, tea and Christmas shops are also available and are decorated as if sets in a Charles Dickens novel.

The Thursford Collection is open from Good Friday through September 28th from noon to 5pm daily.  They are closed on Saturdays.  All of the fairground rides are included in the admission price and there is a children’s play area and picnic grounds outside.  Admission is £7.50 for adults, £7.00 for senior citizens, £7.00 for students, £3.50 for children 4 through 14 and under 4’s are free.  Christmas events are heavily pre-booked so contact the Thursford Collection for more information if you wish to attend an event.

The Tollhouse, Great Yarmouth

The Tollhouse was once the place where criminals were sent in the town of Great Yarmouth when they were found guilty of a crime or crimes.  It was once one of the oldest prisons in England and this Norfolk County historical site is still alive with ghosts from the past thanks to the many employees and tour guides who bring the characters to life.  From medieval times to the current day, the Tollhouse is full of stories to tell.

The new museum site offers visitors a pre-recorded, free audio guide as they make their way through the winding corridors.  The guide on the recording will tell visitors about the gaolers and their prisoners at the Tollhouse over the years.  Visitors will hear stories that tell the fate of smugglers, thieves, pirates, witches and murderers.  They will describe the mode of transportation to the execution site and the execution itself.  There are additional hand-on activities as well as a description of how one of the 12th century merchant houses became one of Great Yarmouth’s most important buildings.

The Tollhouse is located behind the library and there is a car park close by.  There is a souvenir shop on the premises.  Because of the uneven floors and stairs in the Tollhouse, visitors in wheelchairs will only be able to access one of the sites rooms.  However, all visitors with disabilities are encouraged to visit the site and may bring a companion with them for free.  Assistance dogs are also welcome.  The Tollhouse is open from March 21 to October 31, Monday through Friday from 10am to 5pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 1:15pm to 5pm.  Admission is £3.20 for adult, £1.75 for child and £2.65 for disabled visitors, senior citizens, and students.

Town House Museum Of Lynn Life

Located in King’s Lynn, the Town House Museum offers visitors a look into the social history and domestic life of the town’s merchants, families, and traders starting with medieval times and going through the decades and centuries up to the 1950’s.  Visitors can try brass rubbing in the Medieval Room and take home a unique souvenir.  The 17th Century room contains a reconstructed fireplace and displays objects that were used on an everyday basis throughout the town’s siege during the English Civil War.

There is a Victorian nursery in the museum that contains toys and a doll’s house from that period, children are welcome to try them out and play the games that are available.  The kitchen below is also Victorian and shows the everyday items used by the house cook and staff.  A garden with a privvy (outside toilet) completes the setting.  Other exhibits include an Edwardian school desk complete with slate and chalk, displays about life in Lynn during the World Wars, and an original 1950’s television that sits in a fifties living room.

The Town House Museum of Lynn Life is located on Queen Street in historic Old Lynn near the site of the Saturday Market and St. Margaret’s Church.  There is a herb garden and a souvenir shop on the premises.  The ground floor of the museum is the only one that is wheelchair accessible, but visitors with disabilities that can get around with assistance can bring a companion for free.  Assistance dogs are welcome.  Admission is £3.00 for adult, £2.50 for disabled visitors, over 60s and under 4 free and older children £1.65.  It’s open from Monday through Saturday from 10am to 4pm February to April, 10am to 5pm Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm and then from 2pm to 5pm on Sundays, and Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm in October.  The museum is closed from November 3 through February 13.

Ancient House Museum of Thetford Life

This Museum located in the historic town centre of Thetford, Norfolk County, England is a beautiful Tudor building.  Using 21st century displays, the life and times of the town of Thetford and the Brecklands is explored with collections of artefacts, audio commentary, animation, and educational films.  Visitors can ‘meet’ local people from the city’s past such as philosopher Tom Paine to Sikh hero, Maharajah Duleep Singh.  You will also be introduced to rabbit warreners and railway workers.

The merchant’s house that contains the museum is crooked, a testament to the strength of the builders of the time and the materials they used.  It is listed as a Grade I historical site and recently underwent a £1.6 million renovation.  The money was used in conservation projects as well as enhancing and updating the exhibits and displays in the house.  There is a new gift shop and the garden has been replanted with all fresh plants.

Visitors to the museum should alot an hour and a half for a proper tour.  Parking is free and visitors with disabilities are invited to bring a companion for free.  Wheelchair access is available on the ground floor, shop, and garden.  The Ancient House Museum of Thetford Life is open all year round from 10am to 5pm through November 1, and then 4pm from November 3 on.  The museum is closed on Sundays.  Admission from March 17, 2008 through November 1, 2008 is £3.20 for adults, £2.65 for seniors, disabled patrons, and students, and £1.75 for children 4 to 16.

Currently the Museum is offering free admission for all visitors during the period of November 3, 2008 through March 28, 2009.

Ancient House Museum of Thetford Life

This Museum located in the historic town centre of Thetford, Norfolk County, England is a beautiful Tudor building. Using 21st century displays, the life and times of the town of Thetford and the Brecklands is explored with collections of artefacts, audio commentary, animation, and educational films. Visitors can ‘meet’ local people from the city’s past such as philosopher Tom Paine to Sikh hero, Maharajah Duleep Singh. You will also be introduced to rabbit warreners and railway workers.

The merchant’s house that contains the museum is crooked, a testament to the strength of the builders of the time and the materials they used. It is listed as a Grade I historical site and recently underwent a £1.6 million renovation. The money was used in conservation projects as well as enhancing and updating the exhibits and displays in the house. There is a new gift shop and the garden has been replanted with all fresh plants.

Visitors to the museum should alot an hour and a half for a proper tour. Parking is free and visitors with disabilities are invited to bring a companion for free. Wheelchair access is available on the ground floor, shop, and garden. The Ancient House Museum of Thetford Life is open all year round from 10am to 5pm through November 1, and then 4pm from November 3 on. The museum is closed on Sundays. Admission from March 17, 2008 through November 1, 2008 is £3.20 for adults, £2.65 for seniors, disabled patrons, and students, and £1.75 for children 4 to 16.

Currently the Museum is offering free admission for all visitors during the period of November 3, 2008 through March 28, 2009

Cromer Museum

Cromer is a seaside village on the north-eastern coast of Great Britain and the Cromer Museum is an excellent place to learn about what the town was like during the 19th Century.  There is a complete fisherman’s cottage from the Victorian age inside that allows you to see what life was like during this time.  There is also an area called the ‘Old Cromer’ Gallery which contains historic photographs and illustrations of the town.  Information on Cromer’s heyday as a Victorian seaside resort, its elegant hotels, and scandalous mixed bathing practices, and accounts of the daring rescues by Henry Blogg and the lifeboatmen can be found in the Museum as well.
The Museum recently added a geology gallery that includes a collection of fossils found in the North Norfolk area.  It shows just how important Cromer is as a geological area of importance.  The West Runton elephant – a complete and one of the oldest elephant fossils – can be viewed at the museum and visitors can also see a cast of the skull of the Mosasaur, a marine reptile that lived off the coast of North Norfolk over 80 million years ago.
The Cromer Museum recently published the 2008 Events Programme which includes information about the different events and displays that will offered throughout the year.  It can be found online at: http://www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/img/08%20site%20leaflet%20art1_final.pdf or visitors can request a printed copy by calling the Museum on 01263 513543.

Entrance fees for adults are £2.90, children 3 to 16 £1.75, and under 4 free.  Special concessions for disabled individuals, persons aged over 60, and students are available as well as for adults in a family group.