Holkham is the home of the Coke family who are the Earls of Leicester. It was built in the 18th century for the 1st Earl (coke of Norfolk a notated agricultural reformer) in the Neo Palladian style by William Kent. It has a fabulous art collection but today as the sun was shining I spent my day exploring the grounds.
I remember the first time I saw a few Barnacle Geese there well today there were 100's of them with young!
There were also lots of deer!
A goose creche! Actually it is surprising I've yet to see a Canada Goose!
The Coke of Norfolk monument.
I went for a walk around the lake.
St Withburga's Church is an 1860 rebuild/restoration and quite a good one. In the past I've found it locked and had to get the key but today it was proudly open.
The walled garden was once leased to a nursery. It was brought back to the estate and has undergone a long restoration. I saw it the first year it was open and the transformation in wonderful to see. There is an independent coffee van there which I visited :)
ooh... a Painted Lady but it has been awful for butterflies this year,
I wandered back for a sandwich then went for a stroll. Holkham is really good for wildlife.
A good day.
2 comments:
Lovely to see all the geese and deer. The walled garden looks pretty and I do like the heraldic stained glass window in the church.
i am amazed how many many Barnacle Geese there now are and the restoration of the garden has been great to see over the years
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