Hanbury Hall

At the corners of the entrance court are small Victorian gazebos.

Hanbury also has an unusual detached long gallery containing some Jacobean panelling from the original house purchased in 1631 by Thomas Vernon's grandfather.

Within the house the hall and staircase are the most important features.

The stairwell's walls and ceiling were painted with murals by James Thornhill, who had completed the Sabine Room at Chatsworth and was half way through the Painted Hall at Greenwich.

The work was carried out shortly after 1710 and includes a portrait of the notorious Dr Sacheverell, who was accused of sedition that year, about to be set alight by Mercury.

Thornhill also painted the ceiling of one of the principal rooms but the subtle monochrome long hall below the stairwell was probably by one on Thornhill's assistants.

Most of the original contents of Hanbury disappeared in a sale of 1790.

This followed the disasterous marriage between Emma Vernon and Henry Cecil, later Lord Exeter, when the family's fortune was squandered.

Hanbury remained in the hands of the Vernon family until it was acquired by the National Trust in 1953 under the will of Sir George Vernon, the 2nd and last baronet.

There are some Vernon pieces and portraits at Hanbury but most of the contents were brought in by the National Trust including English furniture and porcelain and Flemish, Dutch and English flower paintings from the collection of Mr R S Watney.

Hanbury Hall is set in 400 acres of parkland and garden.

Apart from one long path, nothing now remains of the formal Dutch garden laid out by George London, although the orangery north of the house still stands and is contemporary with the house. There is also an icehouse.