National Trust: Melford Hall

Melford Hall is located in the Suffolk Town of Long Melford. If you're really in to your history and heritage then Long Melford is a great place to visit. There is a second hall, Kentwell Hall (independently owned so National Trust membership won't get you free entry), a very large church, and a high street full of old buildings and antique shops.

Melford Hall itself is still partially owned by the Hyde Parker family, who live in one wing of the house. Although this means that part of the house is closed there is still plenty to see. After entering through the central hall you go upstairs and can view various rooms before returning downstairs by a different staircase.

Outside you can look around the formal gardens, including a little octagonal banqueting house with a view down a tree-lined avenue. There is also a more extensive parkland around the site, plus chairs and tables and some lawn games.

We had a good look around. Our toddler had to be carried a few times to prevent him reaching out to touch things he shouldn't grab but there was plenty for all three of us to see. Beatrix Potter was a regular visitor to the Hall so there are various displays about her in the rooms as you go around.

At the end we had lunch in the cafe, which like all National Trust cafes had really nice sausage rolls and delicious cheese scones. As we left we made sure to pop into the second hand bookshop, always worth checking out when you visit a National Trust property.