History
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The Rotunda
The Rotunda
As you can imagine, the building of this magnificent structure was a complicated and lengthy process, fraught with difficulties.
The iconic sight as you walk up the drive, past the trees is such a memorable one. With the basement open this year, renovated to its 1910 heyday there's so much to explore.
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The garden
The garden
Discover how the various plans for Ickworth House have shaped the layout, style and general flow of the gardens.
The gardeners are currently working on expanding the stumpery in the Italianate garden making it one of the most impressive in the country.
© National Trust
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The park
The park
With evidence of a deer park at Ickworth as early as the 13th century, there's a rich and intriguing history behind the park and woodland.
Join us on our Sunday guided parkland walks to discover its rich heritage and discover some of its secrets.
© Sean Reid
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Hervey family history
Hervey family history
The Hervey family have lived at Ickworth since the mid-fifteenth century. From the man devoted to Italian art and culture who created the House as we know it, to Victor Hervey, the notorious jewel thief dubbed 'mayfair playboy number one', their family lineage is undoubtedly colourful.
The Rotunda
The garden
The park
Hervey family historyDid you know?
- The Rotunda took 46 years to complete
- The unfinished Rotunda was a popular tourist attraction
- The Hervey family lived in the East Wing rather than in the Rotunda
- The Rotunda was designed to showcase vast collections of art
The Rotunda as we know it
Ickworth was home to the Hervey family for just over five centuries, 1432 - 1956. However, The Rotunda as we know it has only been around for the last 200 years or so.
Previously the family lived in a tudor manor house which eventually fell into decay through lack of upkeep and had to be demolished.
The building of The Rotunda began in 1795 but didn’t finish until 1841. Its design was the vision of the Earl-Bishop, who only lived to see the exterior of the Rotunda complete.
The interior was an empty shell and the curving corridors and wings were just a few feet off the ground. It was left to the Earl-Bishop’s son, the future 1st Marquess of Bristol, to make what he could of his father’s extraordinary plan.