Please join us for a day out to Hatfield House and Gardens, an Estate which has played a very prominent role in English history. Henry VIII acquired the the Old Palace and used it as the home for his children, Edward, Elizabeth and Mary. It has long been believed that it was here, while Elizabeth was sitting beneath an oak tree, that she learned of her ascension to the throne.   

Hatfield House itself was built in 1611 by Robert Cecil, the son of Lord Burghley (the chief minister of Elizabeth I) and has been passed down through the Cecil family for over 400 years. It is currently the home of the 7th Marquess and Marchioness of Salisbury and their family. This grand Jacobean house was built next to the site of the Old Palace. When the house was built, Cecil lavishly decorated the state rooms with fine furniture, tapestries and paintings and entertained the Royal Court there. We will see exquisite Jacobean craftsmanship throughout the house. 

Within the Hatfield Estate there are extensive grounds spanning 42 acres, which include a scented garden, herb garden, a maze garden as well as a lake. There are fountains, a longitude dial and a knot garden next to the Old Palace – lots to explore on a sunny Summer day.  

We will be paying our own costs during this visit:

Train tickets: we will be taking a mid-morning train from King’s Cross Station to Hatfield. The journey takes about 25 minutes and it’s best to buy an Open Return (details regarding the timing of our outbound train will be communicated to everyone).   

Tour tickets: we will also be purchasing our own tickets to Hatfield House on arrival; the cost for entry to the house, gardens and park is £26.

Old Palace tickets: We will only know about 2 weeks in advance of our activity date if the Old Palace will be open for visitors 31 July,  the date we will be visiting. We will let everyone know once that information is available for those who would like to pay an additional £8 to visit the Old Palace. 

Lunch: during the day, we will also be breaking for refreshments/lunch (at our own tab) at the Coach House Kitchen restaurant.