Visiting Lamport Hall
If a story is worth telling, it’s worth telling well, and that’s exactly the philosophy with which the team at Lamport Hall present the beautiful Grade I listed Lamport Hall, home to the Isham baronetcy, and open for the public to enjoy all summer long
Developed from a Tudor manor house, architecturally the hall has been worked on by Smith of Warwick and William Burn but is best known for its John Webb classical frontage.
One of the finest examples of a privately-owned estate open to the public in Northamptonshire, the hall and its grounds are open this summer, and Eleanor Carter-Smith was only to happy to tell us more.
“The Hall’s fine rooms, including the High Room of 1655 and 18th century library, are filled with a wealth of outstanding furniture, books, china and paintings collected by the Isham family,” she says. “Most were bought during the 3rd Baronet’s Grand Tour of Europe, in the 1670s.”
A Family Home
“The ravages of two world wars and economic depression meant that the twentieth century was not kind to many of Britain’s country houses. At different times during the last century Lamport Hall has been a family home, divided into flats, a hunting box, a country club, a home for the Northamptonshire Records Office, a British and Czech army base and an Italian prisoner of war camp.”
“The Isham family lived at Lamport for 400 years, until Sir Gyles Isham, the 12th Baronet, died in 1976. In his will he bequeathed the Hall, with its contents and Estate, to the Lamport Hall Preservation Trust.”
The Gardens of Lamport
“Although the size and location of the gardens has remained the same since they were first laid out, the design has changed significantly over the generations.”
“Today the gardens include extensive herbaceous borders and shrubbery walks containing some rare and interesting plants, providing year round interest. The Walled Garden was replanted in 2010 and is full of unusual tall perennial plants, many sourced from Piet Oudolf’s nursery in the Netherlands. A vibrant array of colour and variety of plants are intersected by gravelled pathways with hidden doors and relaxing benches to be found.”
“The gardens have had a boost in interest from a national audience recently as Monty Don featured the rockery and garden gnome on his BBC series about British gardens, exploring the best gardens Britain has to offer.”
A Calendar of Events
“We are very pleased with our varied events calendar for this year which includes some well-established favourites including jazz and theatre in the gardens, and NGS Open Gardens, not to mention Christmas.”
“We are also excited this year to be launching some brand new events. These include our May Makers Market and Food Festival attracting the best in local artisan stallholders alongside live music and street food.”
“The Sealed Knot group will be staging a re-enactment of the Battle of Naseby over the second May Bank Holiday. In June, Stags Head Events, who host our popular Antiques and Collectors Fairs over the Easter and August Bank Holidays, will be bringing their first classic car show to Lamport. Michelle Igwilo will be hosting her first Nigerian supper club outside of London in June in the spectacular surroundings of the walled garden.”
“Grosvenor Shows have added Lamport to their list of venues for 2025 and we host their nationally acclaimed sewing show in July. In August our outdoor cinema will be screening ‘Wicked’ and we’ll stage our first ever silent disco in the gardens.”
“With glass, painting and also photography workshops, we really do have a busy year!”
“We also have two new exhibitions for this year. In July and August we are hosting the outdoor photography exhibition Earth Photo with the Royal Geographical Society and throughout August replica Tudor gowns will be on display in Hall.”
Lamport Hall can be explored by visitors on Wednesdays and Thursdays from April to September alongside our café and shop.
The gardens are open on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from February to October. The gardens are open 9am-4pm whilst the Hall is open on a freeflow basis from 12pm-3pm. There is an optional guided tour at 10.30am. Oh, and thankfully, the estate’s wonderful café is open year round!
Visit Lamport Hall at NN6 9EZ, call 01604 686272 or see www.lamporthall.co.uk.
Read our full feature in the June edition of Rutland Pride at https://www.pridemagazines.co.uk/rutland/view-magazines?magazine=June-2025