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.
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