Doddington Hall is a much loved family home and has never been sold since it was built in 1595 by Robert Smythson, one of England’s foremost Elizabethan architects. The mellow brick exterior with its walled courtyards has barely changed while the interior was redecorated in Georgian times in a light and elegant style. The original walled courtyards now enclose fabulous ornamental gardens and a productive vegetable garden, whilst beyond the walls you will discover romantic wild gardens and nature walks.
Over 400 years of unbroken family occupation has resulted in fascinating collections of furniture, paintings, ceramics, textiles, porcelain, household objects along with a wealth of amusing stories. A visit to Doddington offers a unique insight into family life through the ages and the challenges of looking after such a house in the 21st Century.
We have a wonderful team of volunteers who will enjoy answering your questions and making you welcome.
We also have a range of facilities such as an entertaining full-cast audio tour, sensory tours for visually impaired visitors, children’s activities and special arrangements for disabled visitors.
We specialise in weddings, exclusive group visits with guided tours and we have an active schools programme.
Our charge for admission contributes to, but does not cover, the cost of maintaining Doddington Hall.
In 2007 we opened our new award-winning Farm Shop & Cafe, which is open seven days a week, all year round . While you are with us, why not pop into our restored walled Kitchen Garden which supplies fruit, veg and herbs to our customers and diners. In 2011 we converted a barn to create our Restaurant, extended and refurbished the Littlehouse to create our weddings and event venue the Coach House and opened interiors store India Jane at Doddington Hall.
In early 2011 we underwent some exciting new building developments. This project was supported through the Rural Development Programme for England, which is jointly funded by Defra and the European Union, and is delivered by East Midlands Development Agency (emda). To learn about the EU Commission's rural development, please click here.
We hope that you enjoy your visit.
James and Claire Birch
