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Felbrigg Hall is one of the best-preserved seventeenth-century houses in East Anglia. Built by Robert Lyminge on the sites of a medieval property dating back to 1400, it was the home of the Windham family for over 200 years and contains many fine examples of eighteenth-century furniture and paintings. The traditional walled garden features a working eighteenth-century dovecote and the national collection of colchicums (naked ladies), which flower in September. The park is renowned for its aged trees, especially around 200 beeches. A ‘Victory V’ formation of 200,000 trees planted to mark VE Day can be seen from the air. There are 500 acres of woodland in total, and many waymarked woodland and lakeside walks.

The Gothic library of the hall is said to be haunted by the ghost of the second William Windham, a member of Pitt the Younger’s Cabinet who inherited the estate in 1749 and began to compile the library. He was a passionate book-collector, but his love of books led to his death. In 1810, while in London, he tried to rescue a friend’s books from a burning house, but fell over and injured his hip. An operation was required, but surgery was still relatively primitive at that time and it resulted in his death. However, he still returns to his old library from time to time. It is said that when his collection of Samuel Johnson’s books are set out on the table, he will come back and browse through them.

Felbrigg, Norfolk NR11 8PR; Tel: (01263) 837444; Fax: (01263) 837032; Email: felbrigg@nationaltrust.org.uk; Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk

The house and gardens are open daily, apart from Thursdays and Fridays, from 19 March to 30 October.

Felbrigg village is two miles south-west of Cromer on the B1436.