Holkham Hall was the ancestral seat of the Earls of Leicester and the present earl still lives in the palatial 18th-century Palladian mansion constructed by Earl Thomas Coke. The perfectly symmetrical, Italianate house was essentially constructed as a display case for the earl's astonishing collection of classical sculpture and painting, assembled during a grand tour of Europe from 1712 to 1718. Guided visits explore the guest rooms, with their original tapestry and cafoy (fabric) wall coverings, and the warren of hidden passageways used by servants.
Admission to the hall includes entry to the vast grounds (including the 2.4-hectare walled garden) and the interesting Holkham Stories, an exhibition charting the history of the house and the agricultural legacy of the Holkham estate, an early adopter of sustainable technology.
