A Rainy Sunday Trip To Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk.

What to do on a wet Sunday? Perhaps it wasn’t the ideal weather to be outdoors but Freya has fond memories of Felbrigg Hall’s walled garden and really wanted to return – and with the local football derby taking place in the city, it seemed like heading out of Norwich might be a good idea.

If anything, the rain got heavier when we arrived but, undeterred (and with Freya in full wet weather gear) we wandered the garden. Last time we visited it was summer and it was brimming with plants and flowers – not to mention butterflies. This time? Not so much.

We did see an owl but sadly the wonderful kid-sized wheelbarrows and garden tools that Freya enjoyed so much last time had been packed away for the winter.

Having said that, there was still life in the garden, not just a varity of interesting plants but also some chickens. We had fun exploring all the different areas plus the greenhouses and dovecot before we moved our adventure inside.

The main house wasn’t open (you can find out more about its history in my previous post) but the service wing held more than enough treasures to keep us entertained.

As part of the wild and exotic season, theatre designer Gary McCann has created four cabinets that showcase many strange and interesting objects brought to Felbrigg by generations of past inhabitants.

The first cabinet is an amazing gothic-inspired gilded reliquary, which Wikipedia reveals is “a container for relics”. Several of the doors opened to reveal objects of childhood, religion and death.

Another is a black obelisk with lots of little holes at varying heights to look through to see the objects inside. Freya loved taking a peek.

Although her favourite things to do, aside from riding the hobby horses in the stables, were household chores, such as sweeping and dusting and helping cook find the right veg for dinner. Note to self: encourage this at home!

We also got to see some of the restoration taking place, including work on the original damask wall coverings. I’m afraid I was slightly obsessed with the ceilings and didn’t really take any photos of the walls.

Last time we came, I remember it feeling very interactive, with plenty to keep Freya amused, and it was the same this time – even without the main house open.

So, if you’re looking for something to do, even on a rainy Sunday, the National Trust’s Felbrigg Hall gets a thumbs up from us (especially as we stopped for cheese scones in the Squire’s Pantry before heading home).

To find out more and for opening times and entry prices, please click here.