Tom Leicester on Holkham Hall

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Tom will share insights into how he and his team have successfully developed the estate following the strong foundations laid by his father, Eddy, who inherited it in a challenging condition during the 1970s.

He will explain how the estate has diversified its income streams while remaining committed to its core traditions of heritage, farming, and conservation. Tom will also highlight the estate’s ongoing role as a key contributor to the local community, where it continues to be the largest employer in the region.

This will be an illustrated presentation, delivered with professionalism and complemented by light touches of humour where appropriate.

Tickets must be purchased individually, and each attendee is required to complete their own registration. It is not possible to buy multiple tickets of the same type in a single transaction. Please ensure that every participant registers separately to secure their place.

Please note, the front of house lift will be out of action for Tom Leicester on Holkham Hall’s lecture, happening on Monday 2nd February. We do have an alternative operating lift however, please note this is in our back of house area and is a significant walk from the front of house.

Richard Buccleuch on Drumlanrig, Dalkeith, Bowhill and Boughton

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In the landmark 20th anniversary year of this lecture series, Richard Buccleuch reflects the spirit of John Cornforth’s boundless curiosity and relentless pursuit of truth in Britain’s great houses.

He explores how fresh perspectives and innovative thinking can challenge long-accepted narratives, sharing remarkable discoveries made over two decades across the Buccleuch family estates.

Through a combination of rigorous scholarship and serendipitous finds, these revelations have transformed our understanding of the architectural evolution of these historic homes.

Tickets must be purchased individually, and each attendee is required to complete their own registration. It is not possible to buy multiple tickets of the same type in a single transaction. Please ensure that every participant registers separately to secure their place.

David Cholmondeley on Cholmondeley Castle

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This lecture explores the rich history and ongoing restoration of Cholmondeley Castle in Cheshire. Built between 1801 and 1804 by the 1st Marquess of Cholmondeley, the crenelated Gothic villa replaced an earlier 18th-century house and was dramatically sited on a hill overlooking two meres, inspired by his great-uncle Horace Walpole.

The 19th century brought additions by Sir Robert Smirke, including a round tower and fanciful lodges. In the mid-20th century, Hugh, 6th Marquess, and his wife Lavinia revitalized the interiors with John Fowler and opened the gardens to the public.

Today, the castle is undergoing major restoration. This illustrated talk will trace its architectural evolution, the personalities behind its transformation, and the vision shaping its future.

Tickets must be purchased individually, and each attendee is required to complete their own registration. It is not possible to buy multiple tickets of the same type in a single transaction. Please ensure that every participant registers separately to secure their place.

Earl of Leicester

Tom Coke succeeded to the title of Earl of Leicester in May 2015 following the death of his father. He has played an active role in managing the Holkham Estate since 1993, after leaving the army where he served for six years in the Scots Guards. Educated at Eton College, Tom went on to study History of Art at the University of Manchester, graduating with Honours.

Under his leadership, Holkham has successfully diversified beyond its traditional reliance on agriculture, embracing leisure, tourism, and property development while preserving its heritage. In June 2021, Tom was elected to the House of Lords, taking his seat as an Hereditary Peer.

Duke of Buccleuch

Richard Scott, Duke of Buccleuch is Chairman of the Buccleuch Living Heritage Trust which, with its dedicated teams led by Scott MacDonald, looks after the family’s historic homes and art collections. He is a past President of the National Trust for Scotland and of the Georgian Group, was a Trustee of the Royal Collection Trust and of the Heritage Lottery Fund and is Patron of the Abbotsford Trust.

Marquess of Cholmondeley

David Cholmondeley has managed family estates in Cheshire and Norfolk since 1990, also assuming the hereditary role of Lord Great Chamberlain. After restoring Houghton Hall with guidance from John Cornforth, he curated exhibitions starting with Houghton Revisited in 2013—a reimagining of Sir Robert Walpole’s collection in collaboration with the Hermitage Museum—followed by contemporary shows featuring artists such as Richard Long, Anish Kapoor, and (in 2025) Stephen Cox. In 2014, he organised a travelling exhibition to three U.S. museums with an accompanying monograph.

David and his wife, Rose, are now restoring Cholmondeley Castle and its gardens. He is also involved in the restoration of Trent Park, North London, which will open to the public in 2026.

Edward Harley on Brampton Bryan Hall and Castle, Herefordshire

Brampton Bryan Castle and Estate passed to the Harley family in 1309 on the marriage of Margaret de Brampton to Robert Harley. The Brampton Family have held the Estate since the Domesday Book, meaning there has been an unbroken line of family ownership for over 900 years. During the Civil War the castle was defended by Lady Brilliana Harley. Brampton Bryan Hall was built in the 1660s beside the remains of the castle and was largely remodelled in 1740. The medieval deer park survives to the west of the village. The contents of the Hall reflect the history from the earliest days of the castle to the present day. This includes items relating to Lady Brilliana Harley, her grandson Robert Harley (1st Earl of Oxford and Mortimer, Queen Anne’s First Minister), Admiral Rodney and Lord Byron.

William Staempfli on Glen House, Peeblesshire, Scotland

Built 1855 by the remarkable Scottish Industrialist Sir Charles Tennant, Glen House is one of architect David Bryce’s most notable baronial residences. Set in a uniquely private valley in the Borders near Peebles, the mansion house is the focus of a larger grouping of 19thc buildings, which combine to form a charming model village. Most of the surrounding designed landscape was established earlier in the 18c when a previous smaller house stood on the same site. Still owned by the Tennant family, Glen House stands at the centre of a lively estate with over sixty residents, an organic sheep farm, and diverse flora and fauna. The house itself contains an interesting collection of pictures primarily by Scottish artists. Changes to the interior in the early 20c were designed by Robert Lorimer. William Staempfli will be introduced by Lady Glenconner.

Lady Chichester on Radbourne Hall, Derby

Radbourne Hall, is a Palladian House built between 1738-42. Designed initially by Francis Smith of Warwick it was completed by his son William. The estate has been in the ownership of the same family since the Twelfth Century although names have changed as the inheritance has gone through 4 females over the years. The present house has undergone two recent major restorations, one in the 1950s and one just recently. The house contains a fine collection of paintings by Joseph Wright of Derby some of which were commissioned specifically for the Saloon.

The Hon James and Lady Cara Willoughby on Birdsall House, North Yorkshire

Birdsall House has been the home of the Willoughby family since 1729. The first Birdsall House was built circa 1540 and was redeveloped into the existing Georgian style in the 18th and 19th centuries. The original Tudor house was converted into a much grander Georgian style house, with a new wing added in 1775 which gave the family new State Rooms; the Oval Room and the Ballroom. The Willoughby family originally came from Nottinghamshire and built Wollaton Hall where they lived for 450 years until it was sold after World War I.

The family currently offers an ever-increasing range of activities and opportunities at the Estate for visitors to enjoy.

Sarah Callander Beckett on Combermere Abbey, Cheshire

Established in 1133 as a Cistercian monastery, Combermere Abbey has a fascinating and complex 890-year-old history. Since the Dissolution in 1538, it has only been owned by two families: the Combermeres and the Crossleys. In 1820, the early Tudor residence was dramatically altered to reflect the then-popular Gothic style, with the landscape designer William Eames significantly changing the park. After a severe decline in the Combermere family's fortunes, the abbey was sold to Sir Kenneth Crossley — the current owner's great-grandfather. On inheriting the estate in 1992, Sarah Callander Beckett embarked on a 30-year restoration programme, saving the building from decay and transforming it into a thriving hospitality and events venue.

Lady Caroline Percy on Syon Park, London

Syon is one of the last great historic houses of London and holds a wealth of art within its spectacular neo classical interiors, decorated by Robert Adam. The park and gardens, designed by Capability Brown, feel like deep countryside, while barely 9 miles from Charing Cross.

Syon is the London home of the Dukes of Northumberland and has been in the Percy family for almost 350 years. The house was built on the site of a former Abbey and, since its medieval origins, has played a significant role in English history over the centuries.

The interiors and park are open to the public and are available for filming, weddings and events.

James and Claire Birch on Doddington Hall, Lincolnshire

Situated in the beautiful Lincolnshire countryside, Doddington Hall was built by Robert Smythson, one of England’s foremost Elizabethan architects. Continuing 400 years of unbroken family occupation, Claire Birch and her husband James took over the management of Doddington Hall in 2006, and have started a number of commercial ventures including an award-winning farm shop and café, to fund the continued improvement and restoration of the Hall.

Lady Proby on Elton Hall, Cambridgeshire

Elton Hall is an extraordinary, romantic, part-Gothic historic house nestled in the beautiful countryside on the Cambridgeshire/Northamptonshire border, that has been in the Proby family for 400 years. Sir William and Lady Proby moved to Elton Hall in 1980 and since then Lady Proby has been involved in restoring the house and opening it to the public.

Robert Parker on Browsholme Hall, Lancashire

Built in 1507 by the Parker family, Browsholme Hall is the oldest surviving family home in Lancashire. Robert Parker inherited the property unexpectedly from a distant cousin in 1975 in a neglected condition. Although open to visitors since 1958, it was not until 2010 that a Grade II listed barn was restored as a venue for tourism, private functions and community events that created the financial foundation to support the Hall, gardens and parkland.

The Earl of Devon on Powderham Castle, Devon

The Hon Henry and Martha Lytton Cobbold on Knebworth House, Hertfordshire

Viscountess Grimston on Gorhambury, Hertfordshire