Sandringham

  

Still maintained in the style of Edward and Alexandra, Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra), all the main ground floor rooms used by The Royal Family, full of their treasured ornaments, portraits and furniture, are open to the public.

The Ballroom of the house displays a different exhibition each year, each time showing part of the collections in the private rooms of the house not normally accessible to visitors. More family possessions are displayed in the Museum housed in the old stables and coach houses including vehicles ranging in date from the first car owned by a British monarch, a 1900 Daimler, to a half-scale Aston Martin used by Princes William and Harry. A display tells the mysterious tale of the Sandringham Company who fought and died at Gallipolli in 1915, whilst a photographic exhibition shows the history of Sandringham House from 1870 to the present day, and there is also a fascinating collection of gifts given to Her Majesty The Queen by people from all over the world.

The sixty-acre gardens include the formal North Garden, the Stream Walk and Queen Alexandra’s Summerhouse, perched above the lake. The formal planting of the Edwardian age has given way to great sweeping glades, bordered by splendid specimen trees and shrubs, to create an informal garden full of colour and interest throughout the year. A free shuttle from within the entrance will carry passengers less able to walk through the gardens to the house and back. Guided garden tours take place on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Sandringham Church is also well worth a visit, and there are six hundred acres of the Country Park open to all, with tractor tours running daily. There are restaurants, a gift shop and a plant centre, all at the Visitor Centre, close to the coach and car parks. Sandringham’s welcoming country house atmosphere is commented on by almost every visitor, and the most common complaint is that people have not allowed enough time to see everything there is - at least 3 hours is necessary, and there is enough to fill a full day’s visit.

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Prices

House, Museum & Gardens, Adult £12.00, Child £6.00, Conc. £10.00. Museum & Gardens, Adult £8.00, Child £4.00, Conc. £7.00.

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