Holkham

Holkham lies on the North Norfolk coast between Burnham Overy Staithe and Wells-next-the-Sea.

Holkham Hall is a stunning Palladian style country house located close to the sea. It was built between 1734 and 1762 by the Norwich architect Matthew Brettingham using plans by William Kent and Thomas Coke. Thomas Coke had previously travelled extensively in Italy, France and Germany absorbing elements of European architecture and culture.

The hall was built on a rather bleak, treeless stretch of the North Norfolk coast and Coke once said about it: 'It is a melancholy thing to stand alone in one's own country. I look around, not a house to be seen but my own. I am Giant of Giant Castle, and have ate up all my neighbours - my nearest neighbour is the King of Denmark.'

William Roscoe (1753-1831), who wrote the following poem, was the librarian at Holkham Hall. The poem is a praiseworthy piece  - no doubt written to impress his employer.
 

Holkham Hall

Where Holkham rears in graceful pride
     Her marble halls and crested towers,
And stretches 0'er the champaign wide
     Her lengthened suite of social bowers;

Where, led by Leicester's forming hand,
     To Nature Art her succour gives,
Touches the desert with her wand,
     And sculpture breathes and painting lives;

Sheltered beneath this friendly dome,
     Far from the world's tumultuous rage,
I ope the venerated tome,
     And read, and glow along the page.

Read complete poem

Today the hall is a well known tourist attraction and also a popular film set for historical dramas - such as The Duchess starring Keira Knightley. (See Norfolk Film and TV Locations) The beautiful beach at Holkham has also been used to great effect in Shakespeare in Love  and in Stephen Fry's ITV drama Kingdom.
 

Holkham Beach

Holkham Hall

Photo kindly supplied by Tour Norfolk

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Holkham Hall

Holkham Beach