{{Short description|Country house in Norfolk, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Use British English|date=November 2011}} {{Infobox building |name = Felbrigg Hall |image = FelbriggHall(PhilipHalling)Jul2006.jpg |caption = View of Felbrigg Hall from the south, showing the Jacobean east wing, c. 1624 (right) and the west wing, c. 1680 (left) |pushpin_map = United Kingdom Norfolk |map_caption = Location within Norfolk |architectural_style = |building_type = Stately home |coordinates = {{coord|52.9074|N|1.2593|E|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}} |location = Near Felbrigg village, South West of Cromer, Norfolk |completion_date = Built in the 17th century |owner = in the care of the National Trust |website = https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/felbrigg-hall }} thumb|200px|Felbrigg Hall, Jacobean wing, circa 1624 thumb|200px|Felbrigg Hall, west wing, ''circa'' 1680 thumb|One of Felbrigg's garden ornaments '''Felbrigg Hall''' is a 17th-century English country house near the village of that name in Norfolk.<ref>''OS Explorer Map 24'' (Edition A 1997) – ''Norfolk Coast Central''. {{ISBN|0-319-21726-4}}.</ref> Part of a National Trust property, the unaltered 17th-century house is noted for its Jacobean architecture and fine Georgian interior. Outside is a walled garden, an orangery and orchards. The house and grounds were bequeathed to the National Trust in 1969 by Robert Ketton-Cremer. The hall is Grade I on the National Heritage List for England.<ref name=NHLEHouse>{{NHLE |num=1373644 |desc=Felbrigg Hall |access-date=23 December 2016 |mode=cs2}}</ref> Most of the grounds are part of Felbrigg Woods, a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
==History== The estate originated with the Felbrigg family. It passed to John Wyndham (died 1475) and remained in that family for centuries.
Thomas Wyndham (died 1522) was a councillor to King Henry VIII.<ref>[http://www.hamline.edu/brass/pdfs/y_felb_1608_engr_1611-12.pdf Hamline University (accessed Oct 2010)]{{dead link |date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> Later, residents included John Wyndham (1558–1645) who was probably the builder of Felbrigg Hall. The last Wyndham or Windham of Felbrigg was William Wyndham (died 1810). Much land had been added to the medieval estate in the 17th and 18th centuries.<ref>Historic England [https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1000185 Retrieved 5 August 2017.]</ref> Above the entablature the family arms and the projecting bays bear the words GLORIA DEO IN EXCELSIS in pierced stone, surmounted by heraldic beasts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?MNF6633-Felbrigg-Hall&Index=6105&RecordCount=57339&SessionID=e36fb366-2f2d-4e45-a918-acf04feba925.|title = Felbrigg-Hall - Norfolk Heritage Explorer}}</ref><ref>http://www.literarynorfolk.co.uk/felbrigg.htm. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161108104304/http://www.literarynorfolk.co.uk/felbrigg.htm |date=8 November 2016 }}</ref>
The last owner of the house, before it passed into National Trust ownership, was Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer. His heir, his brother Richard, was killed in action in the Second World War. Robert's memorial to Richard is in the woods behind the house.{{Cn|date=July 2022}}
Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer wrote a number of books, particularly about Norfolk, including ''Felbrigg: the Story of a House'',<ref>[https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/6325329 WorldCat OCLC Number: 6325329]</ref> and ''Norfolk in the Civil War'', Faber, 1969.<ref>[https://www.amazon.co.uk/Norfolk-Civil-War-R-W-Ketton-Cremer/dp/057109130X Norfolk in the Civil War] Retrieved 10 August 2013.</ref> Robert Ketton-Cremer never married, and with no heirs, left the estate to the National Trust on his death in 1969. Part of the estate was acquired by Beeston Hall School.
Christopher Mackie was the administrator, or houseman, of Felbrigg Hall until 1990. His wife Mary Mackie wrote three books on their experiences there: ''Cobwebs and Cream Teas'', ''Dry Rot and Daffodils'' and ''Frogspawn and Floor Polish''.<ref>British Library search under "Mary Mackie" [http://explore.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?fn=search&ct=search&initialSearch=true&mode=Basic&tab=local_tab&indx=1&dum=true&srt=rank&vid=BLVU1&frbg=&tb=t&vl%28freeText0%29=Mary+Mackie&scp.scps=scope%3A%28BLCONTENT%29&vl%28488279563UI0%29=any&vl%28488279563UI0%29=title&vl%28488279563UI0%29=any Retrieved 4 August 2017.]</ref>
==Today== Today the Felbrigg estate covers approximately 1,760 acres (about 7 km<sup>2</sup>) of parkland including the {{convert|520|acre|km2|adj=on}} of Great Wood, which shelters the house. There is public access to the grounds along a number of waymarked walks through the estate, including the Weavers' Way long-distance footpath.<ref>[http://www.countrysideaccess.norfolk.gov.uk/walk.aspx?section=1&id=71 Norfolk long distance footpaths] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723001532/http://www.countrysideaccess.norfolk.gov.uk/walk.aspx?section=1&id=71 |date=23 July 2013}} Retrieved 6 August 2013</ref> National Cycle Network regional routes 33 and 30 also pass through the estate.<ref>[http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/route/wells-holkham-circuit Sustrans] Retrieved 9 August 2013</ref>
==The gardens== Felbrigg garden is laid out in two different styles. The west garden is laid out in the style of a typical Victorian pleasure ground, arranged around an 18th-century orangery. Accentuating the play between light and shade, its formal lawns are interspersed with areas of dark shrubbery. This garden features a number of specimens from North America including red oaks, western red cedars, and a meadow with a walled garden. There are double borders of mixed shrubs, a herbaceous border, and more. The orchard has been planted with varieties of fruit known to have grown in the garden during the 19th century. The gardens are home to the National Collection of colchicums.{{Cn|date=July 2022}}
The gardens are Grade II* listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens<ref name=NHLEGarden>{{NHLE |num=1000185 |desc=Felbrigg Hall |access-date=23 December 2016 |mode=cs2}}</ref> and Felbrigg Woods is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1001767&SiteName=&countyCode=29&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Felbrigg Woods |series=Sites of Special Scientific Interest |publisher=Natural England |accessdate=16 May 2018}}</ref>
==National Trust controversy== To mark the 50th anniversary of the decriminalisation of sexual activity between men in England and Wales, the National Trust in summer 2017 organised a "Prejudice and Pride" campaign highlighting the LGBT themes in its properties. At Felbrigg Hall, a short film narrated by Stephen Fry stated that Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer had been widely known to be homosexual,<ref>{{Cite web |title= The unfinished portrait |website = YouTube|url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pdgaAdhapoc|date=21 July 2017}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}</ref> though others claimed that this was only known by his close friends.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Trust volunteers refusing to wear gay pride lanyards in protest over 'outing' former lord of the manor |author=Lucy Pasha-Robinson |website=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/national-trust-felbrigg-hall-norfolk-gay-pride-lanyards-lgbt-lord-manor-robert-wyndham-ketton-cremer-a7876321.html |date=4 August 2017}}</ref> Two of Ketton-Cremer's godchildren criticised the decision, claiming that a public outing would have been against Ketton-Cremer's wishes and accusing the Trust of using their godfather to generate publicity.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Trust criticised for "outing" country squire |website=The Telegraph |date=29 July 2017 |author=Steve Bird |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/28/national-trust-criticised-outing-country-squire/}}</ref>
The Trust also requested that volunteers wear a badge featuring the charity's logo atop the colours of the LGBT pride flag. Of the house's 350 volunteers, ten refused and were asked to take backstage roles during the campaign.<ref>{{Cite news |title=National Trust volunteers refuse to wear LGBTQ badges |date=4 August 2017 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-40825660 |website=BBC News}}</ref> Sections of the press called on the Trust to reverse its decision,<ref>{{Cite news |title=National Trust reverses decision enforcing use of gay pride badges |author=Jamie Grierson |date=5 August 2017 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/05/national-trust-reverses-decision-on-gay-pride-badges |website=The Guardian}}</ref> and some members cancelled their membership over the issue.<ref>{{Cite news |title=National Trust facing membership boycott over gay campaign |author=Steve Bird |date=4 August 2017 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/08/04/national-trust-facing-membership-boycott-gay-campaign/ |website=The Telegraph}}</ref> The Trust subsequently U-turned on the wearing of badges.<ref>{{Cite news |title=National Trust U-turn over LGBTQ badges at Felbrigg Hall |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-40837709 |website=BBC News |date=5 August 2017}}</ref>
==See also== *St Margaret's Church, Felbrigg *William Frederick Windham
==Further reading== *''AA's Illustrated Guide to Britain'', London, 5th edition, 1983 *Ketton-Cremer, Robert Wyndham, ''Felbrigg, the Story of a House'', London, 1962. The author donated Felbrigg Hall to the National Trust in 1969. *Mary Mackie, ''Cobwebs and Cream Teas: Year in the Life of a National Trust House'', {{ISBN|0-7528-3410-X}} *Mary Mackie, ''Dry Rot and Daffodils: Life in a National Trust House'', {{ISBN|0-7528-3409-6}} *Mary Mackie, ''Frogspawn and Floor Polish: Upstairs and Downstairs in a National Trust House'', {{ISBN|1-84024-333-3}} *Maddison, John (2004) [1995], ''Felbrigg Hall'' (New ed.). Warrington: National Trust. {{ISBN|1-84359-101-4}}.
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} *[https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/felbrigg-hall National Trust profile]
Category:Country houses in Norfolk Category:Grade I listed houses in Norfolk Category:Historic house museums in Norfolk Category:Jacobean architecture in the United Kingdom Category:National Trust properties in Norfolk Category:Grade II* listed parks and gardens in Norfolk Category:Wyndham family residences Category:Felbrigg