Haddon Hall

About this place

Haddon Hall stands above the River Wye near Bakewell in Derbyshire.

Parts of the structure date back to the 11th century, and it is a fortified medieval manor house with later Tudor and Elizabethan additions.

Simon Jenkins described it as the most perfect house to survive from the Middle Ages.

The hall remains in private hands, home to Lord Edward Manners and his family, and welcomes visitors.

The walled Elizabethan gardens and medieval parkland are open to the public.

Haddon operates as an independently run visitor attraction with no membership body involved.

History

The Vernon family held the manor from the 12th century following Sir Richard de Vernon's marriage to Alice Avenell. In 1563, Dorothy Vernon, heiress to Sir George Vernon, married John Manners, and the estate passed into the Manners family. Their grandson inherited the earldom in 1641, establishing the Manners family as later Dukes of Rutland. In the 20th century, John Manners, 9th Duke of Rutland, devoted much of his life to restoring the hall from a state of near-dereliction.

Architecture

Haddon Hall developed in stages from the 11th to the 17th centuries, giving it a layered mix of medieval fortification and Tudor and Elizabethan domestic building. It is one of the most complete surviving examples of a medieval manor house in England.

Worth knowing

A 19th-century legend claims Dorothy Vernon eloped from the hall with John Manners to marry against her father's wishes. The hall has featured in film and television productions.

Gardens & grounds

The walled Elizabethan gardens, laid out on terraces above the river, remain one of the hall's principal draws for visitors.

Facilities