Discover the house at Dunham Massey

Highlights

• The Library

  The Library looks almost the same as Lady Mary and her father left it. Many books belonged to her, with no less than 250 containing her personal bookplate. Purchased for educational purposes and often annotated, the variety of literature reveal their wide interests – books on religion, politics, genealogy and history are all here, as are several scientific tomes and three astronomical instruments. See the 17th-century Flemish stained glass showing architectural views, biblical scenes, the twelve Sibyls and an incomplete set of the Labours of the Months.

• The Study

  Roger Grey, 10th Earl of Stamford used this room constantly and his life is reflected in its contents. Here are portraits, photographs of world leaders that he knew, and mementoes of his friendship with Emperor Haile Selassie. The earl was a creature of habit; the route he trod each day from door to desk is etched into the threadbare carpet.

• Life below stairs

  Noble owners may take centre stage at Dunham, but little would have been achieved without a small army of servants. Below stairs, a complex, hierarchical world ensured the smooth running of this vast house, many of these rooms can still be explored today.

  The Kitchen has survived mostly intact as it was in use right up until Dunham Massey was given into the care of the National Trust in 1976. See one of the earliest and largest agas ever made and a kitchen filled with early 20th-century foods – some you might recognise in your house today.

  Discover the Butler’s Pantry which survives exactly as it was in the early 20th century and was the only room in the house where a servant influenced the interior. When it was built, the 9th Countess wanted a stone-like surface but the butler preferred wood. Look down on your visit to see who won that argument.

• Travelling treasures

  Discover The Grand Tour in the Tea Room. While the gap year is firmly a 21st century idea, travelling across the world and discovering new cultural wonders isn’t a modern concept. Amongst the collection are paintings reflecting the Grand Tour travels of the 5th and 6th Earl and two caricatures by Thomas Patch (1760) of the 5th Earl in Croatia and Italy.

• A bird's eye view

  Marvel at a series of landscape views from one of the finest visual records ever made of a country house, shown together for the first time. See the earliest painting, Dunham Massey from the South-East by Adriaen van Diest (1697), shows the house as it was at the start of the 2nd Earl’s ambitious schemes for the house and estate. Then step in to the Great Hall, to see the four other views which were painted some 50 years later by John Harris and show the house rebuilt and the radiating avenues of trees in place.

• A glittering display

  Step into part of the 2nd Earl's collection of silver. He collected more than 1,000 pieces, most handcrafted by Huguenot silversmiths, and carefully recorded in his inventory, entitled The Particular of my Plate. What survives is one of the largest groups of silver plate ever made for a single patron. The collection includes the earliest known silver egg cup holder, silver chamber pots and silver used for washing, lighting, eating, drinking and even for worship, all made by the finest silversmiths of the day.