This two-night, three-day UK study trip will explore important historic houses in West and North Norfolk, with privileged access and private visits. Based in Norwich, the weekend will include visits to Holkham Hall, Houghton Hall and Sandringham, and a pre-dinner lecture by garden designer and historian George Carter. We will also have a tour of the National Trust Textile Conservation Studio where we will be able to view conservation work in progress. Our trip leader will be Katherine Hardwick-Kulpa, Curator of the Devonshire Collections at Chatsworth House and previously Collections Coordinator at Holkham Hall.

Eighteenth-century Holkham Hall is one of England's finest examples of the Palladian Revival style of architecture. Built for Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester, the hall was designed by the architect William Kent, with contributions from Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington, the Norfolk architect and surveyor, Matthew Brettingham and Coke himself. The survival of detailed building accounts allows for identification of many of the original pieces of furniture, provided by fashionable London makers such as Benjamin Goodison and Paul Saunders, and designed in the manner of William Kent.

Constructed in the 1720s for Britain's first Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole, Houghton Hall is now the residence of the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, a direct descendant of Sir Robert Walpole, and his family. With ceilings, interiors and furniture designed by William Kent, this visit will make an interesting complement to Holkham Hall. The State Rooms feature intricately painted ceilings and suites of lavish, carved, and gilded furniture. A particular highlight is the State Bedroom with its famous Shell bed, hung with green velvet with silver gilt embroidery and fringing.

We are delighted to have been granted a visit to Sandringham House, the Norfolk country retreat of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Our visit to Sandringham will take place outside public visiting hours and will be led by Caroline de Guitaut, Surveyor of the King’s Works of Art, and Nicola Turner Inman, Curator of Decorative Arts, who will highlight key pieces in the collection for us.

Renowned author, garden historian and designer George Carter specialises in formal gardens inspired by the simple geometry of seventeenth-century gardens. George’s evening lecture will focus on historic garden furniture and we will also have the opportunity to visit his gardens at Silverstone Farm, North Elmham, which are inspired by seventeenth-century Dutch, English and Italian prototypes and concentrate on a simple plant palette of evergreens and deciduous trees and shrubs such as would have been available in that period.

Accommodation for the weekend will be at the George Hotel in Norwich, with coach travel between visits.

COST: £800 per person in single (individual) accommodation  |  £750 per person in double (shared) accommodation

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: Monday, 6 July 2026

The State Bed, Holkham Hall © Katherine Hardwick-Kulpa