This
fine Tudor building is the home of the Hyde Parker family, lords of the manor
of Melford, though the house itself is now owned by the National Trust. The manor
once belonged to the Abbots of Bury St Edmunds, but after the Dissolution of the
Monasteries it passed to Sir William Cordell, a lawyer who later rose to become
speaker of the House of Commons.
The estate of Melford Hall is entered
through a fanciful Victorian gateway, but the exterior of the house itself is
pure Tudor, built for Cordell in the period 1554-1578. The house is built of red
brick, with three wings partly enclosing a courtyard. The interior, however, shows
signs of later remodeling; particularly by Thomas Hopper (1813-1820).
Hopper
was responsible for the staircase with classical columns, and the double library,
with its fittings of oak inlaid with walnut and yew. Much of the furnishings ,
including numerous family portraits, relate to the Hyde Parkers, who came to the
manor in 1786. Pride of place, however, must go to a map of the estate, dated
to 1580.
The banqueting hall is largely unchanged from the days when Elizabeth
I was feted here. The library dates largely from the Regency period, and the bedrooms
were remodeled in the Victorian era.
Melford Hall contains a good collection
of articles associated with author Beatrix Potter, who was related to the Hyde
Parker family. Visitors can see a shawled model of Jemima Puddleduck in addition
to several of Potter's sketches and watercolour illustrations for her children's
stories.
The gardens at Melford Hall are worth a visit; there are some
fine varieties of old trees, a banqueting house, and some enjoyable walls through
the parkland surrounding the house.
Location
Off the A134 between Bury St Edmunds and Sudbury, 4 miles from Lavenham.
Admission
Fee charged. Free entry to National Trust members. Open April - October.
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This
fine Tudor building is the home of the Hyde Parker family, lords of the manor
of Melford, though the house itself is now owned by the National Trust. The manor
once belonged to the Abbots of Bury St Edmunds, but after the Dissolution of the
Monasteries it passed to Sir William Cordell, a lawyer who later rose to become
speaker of the House of Commons. 