Hatfield House

Hatfield House is the ancestral home of the Cecil family. Its also a very nice spot for a day out on a sunny day.

There are a number of parts to the "house". Perhaps one should start with the old house. Most of this was demolished for the new one, so what remains is just one side of what would have been four sides with a courtyard in the middle. Being detached from the main house, this now forms a suitable spot for functions, especially weddings. It also has a beautiful old garden in front of it, in what would have been the courtyard.

Even beyond this garden, there are further gardens which are well worth wandering around. Indeed I found them somewhat dispiriting. No matter how much time I could spend in my back garden, it would never look this good.

But at the moment, the gardens have an extra attraction. An exhibition of modern figurative sculpture. I just love the combination of nature and manufacture. So lots more photos to come. This is a fair proportion of all the sculptures I am afraid. Buckle down.

Didn't you always want a bronze of a chap on the horn of a rhino on the tongue of a bloke?

I think this is what happens when you exercise to excess

The gnome hunter

Come on, we have all had that naked woman riding a bear fantasy haven't we?

Ok, so much for the gardens. Quite a lot really. Now for the house. Well, it does sit very grandly in the landscape. And it is interesting compared to most stately homes just because its earlier than most. SO lets start with the exterior.

Ok, now for the interior. There is only a certain amount open to the public as its still privately owned and lived in.

 The Rainbow Portrait of Elizabeth I

The Grand staircase. Aptly named

The Ermine Portrait of Elizabeth I - one of the best known images of the virgin queen

A Van Dyck but of an unknown gentleman

The Long Gallery

The Chinese Bedroom

The Winter Dining Room

The library

Chapel with original 17th century stained glass