Explore the house at Blickling Estate

Inside the House

The Great Hall

Once the principal room of the Jacobean house, the great hall was altered into the grand entrance hall with the staircase of today, by Sir John Hobart the 2nd Earl of Buckinghamshire. The reliefs of Elizabeth I and Anne Boleyn were inspired by the Nine Worthies in the original Jacobean hall. 

The Brown Drawing Room

This room was a chapel in Sir Henry’s time and became a drawing room in the 19th century. Today the room is presented in the style of the 1930s. The carved angel’s fireplace came from Caister Castle, the home of Sir John Fastolfe who owned the Blickling Estate in the 15th century. 

The pictures in the room show members of the Stuart court in the early 17th century and were brought to Blickling by Lady Constance Lothian and her husband, the 8th Marquess. Lady Lothian’s portrait also hangs in here and through the windows you can see the parterre and terraces which she designed in the early 1870s.

The Lower Ante Room

Originally the lower part of the Jacobean stairwell, this room became the drinking room in 1767, hung with full length portraits.  In the 19th century, it was a small library converted by Philip Kerr, the 11th marquis to a small sitting room in the 1930s. It was redecorated by the National Trust in the 1960s.

The Dining Room

This room was Sir Henry Hobart’s parlour and was a private room used for family meals. In 1765 the 2nd Earl converted it into a dining chamber keeping much of its Jacobean design. He put in the chestnut panelling but kept the great fireplace which shows the arms of Sir Henry and his wife Dorothy.

The Serving Room

The house inventory of 1793 calls this room the Confectioner’s Room and it became a serving room in the 19th century. The staircase at the end of this room leads down to the kitchen and what was the Victorian servants’ hall. 

West Turret Bedroom and Bathroom

The fine plasterwork on the ceiling tells us that this was one of the important bedchambers of the Jacobean house. The 4th Baronet died of his wounds from a duel in this room. The hangings on the bed are crewel work and are thought to be made in the late 17th century. 

The Chinese Bedroom

Formed in 1760 by partitioning the Jacobean withdrawing chamber, the room had a window overlooking the Stone Court, which was later blocked up. While the ceiling is typically rococo, the frieze is neo-Jacobean and imitates the ornaments of the two stone Jacobean doorcases on the staircase landing.

The South Drawing Room

This room would have been the great chamber of the Jacobean house. A place for grand feasts and entertainment. Charles II would have been entertained here on his visit to Blickling in 1671. 

The portrait to the left of the fireplace is of Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk and the daughter of Henry Hobart 4th Baronet who was killed in a duel on Cawston Heath. Henrietta was supposedly the mistress of King George II and encouraged her nephew the 2nd Earl in the sympathetic restoration of Blickling.

The Upper Ante Room

This room was the upper part of the Jacobean staircase with the carved wooden ceiling boss hanging over the stairwell. It became the ante room for the South Drawing room in 1767 and hung with the Mortlake tapestries. It was also used as a billiard room in the 19th century it was fitted with bookcases during the 1930s.

The Long Gallery

Perhaps the most remarkable room at Blickling it was built by Sir Henry for social activity and exercise in bad weather. The 12 large portraits now hanging in the Great Hall hung here until it became the library in 1745. 

The 1st Earl inherited a collection of 10,000 books from a distant cousin, Sir Richard Ellys who was an important theologian and antiquary. The volumes here at Blickling form one of the most remarkable and important libraries in the country. 

Peter the Great Room

The work on the new Peter the Great room happened in 1778-82. The room was designed to display the tapestry given to the 2nd Earl by Catherine the Great of Russia. The fine plasterwork was based on a design from ceilings discovered in Pompeii and Herculaneum.

The State Bedroom

This room is the best of the late 18th century rooms at Blickling. Over the fireplace is a portrait of Sir Henry Hobart by Daniel Myten, painted in 1624. The decoration of the room highlights the scarlet robes of the portrait and the crimson hangings of the bed to show the greatness of Blickling’s owners.

Accessibility

Blickling Estate's impressive, red-brick Jacobean mansion is equipped with ramps and lift access, so less mobile visitors can enjoy seeing the hall's impressive rooms and intriguing collections. Please simply ask for assistance upon entry to the Great Hall - we're happy to help and can provide information in alternative formats upon request. 

*Although there is lift access in the house and most rooms are accessible to all, please bear in mind that due to the nature of the historical building, there may be some rooms only accessible by stairs.