Somerleyton Hall Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Somerleyton Hall
The garden front
Type	Country house
Location	Somerleyton, Suffolk
Built	1844
Architect	John Thomas
Architectural style(s)	Jacobethan
Owner	Sir Samuel Morton Peto

Listed Building – Grade II*
Official name: Somerleyton Hall
Designated	29 January 1987
Reference no.	1198046


Listed Building – Grade II*
Official name: Stable Court to Somerleyton Hall
Designated	29 January 1987
Reference no.	1352646


Listed Building – Grade II*
Official name: Kitchen Garden of Somerleyton Hall
Designated	29 January 1987
Reference no.	1031936


Listed Building – Grade II
Official name: Remains of Winter Garden of Somerleyton Hall
Designated	29 January 1987
Reference no.	1031930


National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens
Official name: Somerleyton Park
Designated	29 January 1987
Reference no.	1000188

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Somerleyton Hall is a large, beautiful country house and 5,000-acre (2,000 ha) estate. It is located near the villages of Somerleyton and Lowestoft in Suffolk, England. The current owner is Hugh Crossley, 4th Baron Somerleyton, who lives there with his family.

The hall was originally designed by John Thomas. It is a Grade II* listed building, which means it is a very important historic site. Its large park and beautiful formal gardens are also Grade II* listed. These formal gardens cover about 12 acres (4.9 ha) (4.8 hectares).

Inspired by a project called Knepp Wildland, Somerleyton is now "rewilding" 1,000 acres (400 ha) (400 hectares) of its estate. This means they are letting nature take over more. They have brought in free-roaming cattle, large black pigs, and Exmoor ponies to help with this process.

History of Somerleyton Hall
Exploring Somerleyton Hall
Gallery
See also

History of Somerleyton Hall

Early Owners and Changes

The story of Somerleyton Hall began in 1240. A manor house (a large country house) was first built on this spot by Sir Peter Fitzosbert. His daughter later married into the Jernegan family. The Jernegans owned the estate for a long time, until 1604.

In 1604, John Wentworth bought Somerleyton. He changed the hall into a typical Tudor and Jacobean style mansion. After him, the Garney family owned it.

The next important owner was Admiral Sir Thomas Allin, 1st Baronet. He was from Lowestoft and was a brave naval officer. He fought in important sea battles like the Battle of Lowestoft in 1665 and the Battle of Solebay in 1672. Eventually, his family line also ended.

The Peto and Crossley Families

In 1843, Samuel Morton Peto bought Somerleyton Hall and its park. Peto was a very successful businessman and a Member of Parliament (MP). He spent the next seven years completely rebuilding the hall. He turned it into an amazing example of Anglo-Italian architecture. He also hired famous garden designers, William Andrews Nesfield and Joseph Paxton, to redesign the gardens.

In 1863, the Somerleyton estate was sold to Sir Francis Crossley. He was a carpet manufacturer from Halifax and, like Peto, was also a Member of Parliament and a generous person. Sir Francis's son, Savile, was given the title Baron Somerleyton in 1916. The family's motto is 'Everything that is good comes from above'. Today, Hugh Crossley, 4th Baron Somerleyton inherited the hall in 2012 and lives there with his family.

Hovercraft Experiments

An interesting fact about Somerleyton Hall is that the lake there was used for early experiments. In 1955, Christopher Cockerell, who invented the hovercraft, tested his ideas on the lake.

Exploring Somerleyton Hall

The Hall Building

The main hall building is a Grade II* listed building. This means it is considered very important historically and architecturally. It was designed by John Thomas, who had also worked for Prince Albert. The hall was finished in 1850. Inside, the clock tower holds a special clock designed by Benjamin Vulliamy.

Beautiful Formal Gardens

The landscaped park and formal gardens are also Grade II* listed. They cover 12 acres (4.9 ha) (4.8 hectares) and are part of the larger 5,000-acre (2,000 ha) estate. These gardens have many special features:

A famous yew hedge maze, created by William Andrews Nesfield in 1846. It is one of the best in Britain.
A unique greenhouse designed by Joseph Paxton, who also designed The Crystal Palace.
A walled garden, a birdhouse (aviary), and a loggia (a covered walkway).
A 90-metre (300 ft) (295 feet) long pergola covered with beautiful roses and wisteria flowers.
Other areas of the garden have rhododendrons, azaleas, and many different kinds of trees.

Several parts of the gardens are also listed for their historic value. These include the kitchen garden, the stable court, and various statues and ornaments like the statue of Atalanta.

The Rewilding Estate

Somerleyton is now a leader in "rewilding" in England. This project was inspired by Knepp Wildland, another successful rewilding project. Somerleyton has fenced off 1,000 acres (400 ha) (400 hectares) of its 5,000-acre (2,000 ha) estate. They have brought in large black pigs, Exmoor ponies, and 100 free-roaming cattle. These animals help to manage the land naturally.

The plan is to expand this rewilding area to include the 150 acres (61 ha) (60 hectare) Fritton Lake and 600 acres (240 ha) (240 hectare) Suffolk Sandlings. Somerleyton is also a founding trustee of WildEast. This is a charitable foundation that encourages farming methods that help nature and promotes rewilding in East Anglia.

Gallery

Somerleyton Hall in 1880. The Winter Garden (conservatory) on the left was demolished in 1914
Somerleyton Hall in 1930
aerial view
The entrance to the hall
The Orangery
The maze garden map
Topiary archways