Oxburgh Estate — Attraction in Breckland District

This is in the top two of the best National Trust properties in East Anglia as the Medieval Moated Manor House is so unique, beautiful and breathtaking in its idyllic and picturesque setting. The interior of the house is just as spectacular and excellent as the exterior with beautifully exquisite wooden cabinets with lovely details on them and also some excellent portraits to view. The other items of note in the interior are some enamel copper plaques that date back to the 1600s which have outstanding of pictures on them and also room where The Oxburgh Hangings are on display that were created by Mary Queen of Scots and The Bess of Hardwick and The Oxburgh Hangings in particular the best items in the House as the details and colours are magnificent and also blend in very well with each other along with the fact that they are in fabulous condition. The other areas of note in the House is the room with the all the bookcases as there is so many great objects that blend in very well with the bookcases and also the room with the tapestries as the tapestries have fantastic detail and transition magnificently with the other items that are present. The walk around the moat is also marvellous is another fantastic highlight as you can enjoy wonderful and lovely views of The Medieval House in its moated setting, which sets it apart from other National Trust properties and also makes it unique and iconic as well as prominent from other National Trust properties. Also you walk along the moat you can also the magnificent brick built architecture of the Medieval House, which is sumptuous and breathtaking and amongst the architecture there are some lovely heraldic coat of arms to see, which appear in great condition. The grounds of the property are just as brilliant as the house with The French Paterre of particular note with a great transition of colour from the border plants and also the Orchard being particularly colourful with the blossom in the Spring and great in the Autumn when the fruit is present and the blossom blends in well with the Cowslips that are present. The other magnificent areas of the grounds are the Kitchen Garden with the Rhubarb on display and other plants on display, The Wilderness with it's lovely carpeted display of Bluebells and also the excellent Chapel and The Home Covert with the peaceful tranquil Woodland. There are also some lovely walks to enjoy through the Wilderness with the bluebells on display and also nice walks through the Home Covert with it's tranquil surrounding and the Oak Yard which offers spectacular views towards the House and the Moat. Strong footwear is advised through the parkland as it does get seasonally muddy in places. There is a cafe at the property offering a variety of food at reasonable prices and also a gift shop with a great array of gifts at affordable prices. Overall this is a magnificent and enjoyable place to visit and enjoy a very unique National Trust property in a picturesque setting and also see spectacular building architecture of a...

Blue badge parking near the entrance where the ticket/information hut is! Staff were friendly, helpful, and approachable throughout our time there. There's a couple of different mobility machinery for free hire... more information is on their website. On entering, we saw the toilet signs and followed only to find out there was no disabled toilet there, so after making sure the ladies were empty, I stood guard whilst waiting. As a wheelchair user cannot use the mens due to space and latrines! Whilst waiting, a senior member of staff asked me if I was okay, so I explained the situation. He was very apologetic that signs were not up to direct to the accessible toilets in the court yard and went off to rectify the sign posting for those that need the facilities in the future! I was very impressed that it was taken seriously, and they wanted to get it sorted quickly... the walk up to the toilets was not the best for people with mobility issues as it was muddy and slippy under foot. The wheelchair also snagged on uneven ground and nearly toppled over! The Estate is all accessible on the ground floor. An interesting walk through and chatting with the staff was fun as they were full of facts and stories on the rooms they were in... sometimes, my brain goes to white noise if people monotone information at me, but the staff that we had interaction with were genuinely having fun and enthusiastic about telling you all about the place! The cafe was accessible and was reasonably priced. There was a choice of food and drinks for different dietary needs as well! For the most part the walk around the grounds were reasonably flat, and there are a couple of trails to follow... We were informed by the lady on entry which routes would be wheelchair friendly. The courtyard does have some cobble stones, so if you have mobility issues, do be...

Approx. 10 miles to the east of Downham Market, Oxburgh Hall, built in highly fashionable red brick, was completed in 1482 for Sir Edmund Bedingfield as a family home complete with a moat. The family have lived there ever since, surviving a Civil War, periods of near dereliction and, in the mid-20th century, the threat of demolition. Their unshakable Catholic faith and commitment to preserving the family history were pivotal to their initial success and subsequent demise.

Due to outstanding rent and unpaid taxes, in 1951 Oxburgh was sold to an Insurance Company with the intention to resell it but because of a lack of interest, Oxburgh was sold back to the Bedingfield family. The following year Lady Bedingfield gave Oxburgh Estate to the National Trust.

There is plenty to see in the Hall, including the Saloon, Drawing Room, Library, Dining Room and the grand King’s Room. Some of the wallpaper dates back to the mid-18th century. There is also an extensive collection of portraits.

One of the highlights are the Oxburgh Hangings (also known as the Marian Hangings), needlework bed hangings made by Mary, Queen of Scots and Bess of Hardwick, during the period of Mary's captivity in England in the late 16th century.

The Hall has recently undergone extensive repairs to the roof, chimneys, windows and medieval gatehouse façade costing around £6 million.

Outdoors there is the kitchen garden, orchard and herbaceous border. For the younger ones there is the opportunity to make a den or play Pooh sticks.

Food and drink are available at the Pantry Café and Courtyard tea room with picnic benches for those wishing to bring their own food. There is the customary giftshop and amazing second-hand bookshop. Dogs are welcomed in the eateries and both the shops with dog friendly ice cream...