Holkam: A Family Home for Over 400 Years
Presented by Thomas Coke, 8th Earl of Leicester
Situated on the stunning north Norfolk coast, Holkham is one of the finest examples of a centuries-old family estate adapting to the modern age. Thomas Coke, the 8th Earl of Leicester, stewards the thriving 25,000 acre estate, which has belonged to the Coke family since 1609. Its magnificent Palladian style Hall was built by the 1st Earl between 1734 and 1764. The Earl commissioned William Kent to design a building to reflect his passion and appreciation for Italian art and architecture, and to house his collection acquired on his Grand Tour.
The interior state rooms feature superb examples of sculpture, tapestries, and paintings by Rubens, Van Dyck, Claude, and Gainsborough, among others. Besides 7,400 acres of farm land managed by the farming company, the estate has other businesses, including a boutique hotel, a holiday park, various renewable energy projects, a National Nature Reserve, and the care of over 300 estate houses, many of which are over 150 years old. Thomas Coke, who took over the running of the estate in 2006, will speak to Royal Oak audiences about the history of his family home and illustrate its exquisite interiors. He will also discuss the challenges of maintaining such a grand estate, which draws nearly a million visitors a year.
A part of the Royal Oak Foundation's Fall 2017 Lecture Series.
St. George’s Society members receive $10 OFF the standard ticket price!
Main Image: Holkham Hall, Norfolk. By kind permission of the Earl of Leicester and the Trustees of the Holkham Estate