Press Centre
For any PR enquiries relating to the family, the Estate and its related businesses, or to obtain high-resolution images of Holkham, please contact Mary Rudd at Mary Rudd PR:
Mary Rudd PR
mail@maryruddpr.co.uk
Tel: 01362 821415
3rd January 2012 - International line-up of chamber music at Holkham Hall
A second exciting series of chamber music at Holkham Hall firmly establishes the historic property as one of the premier venues for chamber concerts. The 2012 season sees celebrated musicians from around the world perform in the magnificent Marble Hall and includes three song recitals, two string quartets, a piano trio and a solo piano recital. In addition, one of Europe’s leading young ensembles will make a special appearance for a captivating live broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
The season opens with an afternoon concert in February when the Escher Quartet from the United States comes to Holkham as part of their European tour. Then the following month Dame Felicity Palmer gives a rare recital before she visits Paris, and the hall hosts a live Radio 3 concert by the Signum Quartet. During the season, two winners of the prestigious BBC Cardiff Singer of the World song competition also perform – Elizabeth Watts, who won the song prize in 2007 and Ukrainian baritone Andrei Bondarenko, who was the winner in 2011.
The full concert listing is as follows:
Sunday, February 12 at 3pm
Escher String Quartet with a pre-concert talk
Pre-concert talk by Simon Rowland-Jones titled “Bartók’s String Quartet No.5 - The Greatest String Quartet of the 20th Century?” followed by a performance by the Escher String Quartet who were selected as BBC Radio 3’s ‘New Generation Artists’ for 2010-2012 and they will perform a programme of music, including Haydn’s String Quartet in D Op.76 No.5, Bartók’s String Quartet No.5 and Beethoven’s String Quartet in C sharp minor Op.131.
This event includes tea or coffee served in The Saloon between the talk and the concert and then a glass of wine at the interval with an opportunity to see some of the state rooms at Holkham.
Sunday, March 18 at 7pm
Dame Felicity Palmer and Simon Lepper
Mezzo-soprano Dame Felicity Palmer has sung at every major opera house during the last four decades and pianist Simon Lepper is one of the leading accompanists of his generation, working with the world’s top singers. “Women on the Edge” is a programme of songs by Britten, Purcell, Tchaikovsky, de Falla and Sondheim.
Saturday, March 24 at 1pm
The Signum Quartet
Broadcast on BBC Radio 3, one of Europe's leading young quartets and Radio 3 New Generation Artists, The Signum Quartet from Berlin, perform an all-Schubert programme including one of the composer’s greatest string quartets as a live broadcast from the Marble Hall.
Saturday, April 7 at 7pm
Elizabeth Watts and Julius Drake
Soprano Elizabeth Watts won several major competitions including the Kathleen Ferrier Award in 2006 and the Song Prize at BBC Cardiff Singer of the World in 2007 and quickly established herself as the country’s leading young soprano. Pianist Julius Drake was Artistic Director and a regular performer at Holkham Hall between 2005 and 2010 and works with the leading singers of the day. This event includes Schumann’s song cycle Liederkreis Op.39 and songs by Ivor Gurney and Richard Strauss.
Friday, June 8 at 7pm
Kungsbacka Piano Trio
Formed in 1997 and named after the Swedish town where they gave their first performance, the Kungsbacka Piano Trio will perform a programme of music by Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. They won first prize in the prestigious Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition in 1999, have made prize-winning recordings for Naxos and this year are celebrating 15 years of giving concerts together.
Saturday, October 13 at 7pm
Andrei Bondarenko and Gary Matthewman
Ukranian baritone Andrei Bondarenko sprang to international prominence in the 2011 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition where he won the first prize in the song competition and was a sensational finalist in the main competition. Gary Matthewman is one of the best known accompanists of his generation and recently joined BBC Cardiff Singer of the World as official accompanist. The evening will include Ibert’s “Chansons de Don Quichotte”, songs by Tosti, Respighi, Glinka, Tchaikovsky and opera arias.
Saturday, November 10 at 7pm
Brodowski Quartet
The Brodowski String Quartet burst on to the London musical scene in 2008 winning a clutch of major prizes including first prize winner of the Royal Overseas League Competition for the best chamber ensemble. Some of the most celebrated of all string quartets make up the Brodowski’s programme, from Haydn’s last complete work for the genre to Smetana’s revolutionary “From My Life” and Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet No.1 in D major Op.11.
Saturday, December 1 at 7pm
Pianist Leon McCawley
A Beethoven Piano Competition and Leeds International Piano Competition winner, Leon McCawley is at the forefront of musical life. To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Debussy’s birth, he presents a wide-ranging programme that charts the influences on Debussy’s pianistic style. Leon’s programme includes works by Bach, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninov and Schumann. This concert includes a champagne reception in the Saloon and opportunity to view some of the state rooms magnificently decorated for Christmas.
Ticket prices for the Signum Quartet on March 24 are £18, and for the Leon McCawley concert on December 1 the tickets will be £30 to include a champagne reception. Tickets for all the other concerts are £25 which includes a glass of wine in the Saloon during the interval and an opportunity to view some of the other state rooms at Holkham.
To book or for further information, please contact 01328 713111 or visit www.holkham.co.uk.
21st November 2011 - Hospital benefits from Holkham Country Fair donation
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital's League of Friends is among the many local organisations to receive a donation from Holkham Estate following the biennial Holkham Country Fair which was held earlier this year.
The League of Friends is run by a dedicated group of volunteers who commit many hours to fundraising in order to provide vital pieces of equipment for the hospital. Items provided this year by the League include a £5,000 bi-pap system for the Critical Care Unit which is a ventilation machine used to help patients breathe.
Valeria, Viscountess Coke is President of the charity and Chairman Pat Roome said: "We are delighted to receive this donation from the Holkham Estate. Lady Coke has been our President for 28 years and her continued hands on support for the League of Friends is greatly valued by everyone at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital."
15th November 2011- Local wildlife charities benefit from Holkham Country Fair donations
Local wildlife charities have been among the many organisations to receive donations as a result of the successful Holkham Country Fair held this summer on the north Norfolk estate.
The popular event has always supported local charities, many with a connection to the countryside, and this year The Rare Breeds Society, The Wild Trout Trust and the Songbird Survival Trust have all been named as beneficiaries by The Earl of Leicester and Viscount Coke.
The Rare Breeds Survival Trust carries out important conservation work in conjunction with breed societies and individual owners to protect bloodlines and promote rare breeds which are in decline. Breeds such as the Suffolk Horse and British Lop pig are at risk with fewer than 300 registered adult breeding females remaining of each.
Clare Bowry, Development Manager for RBST said: "We are very grateful for this wonderful donation from Holkham Country Fair. RBST relies on the generosity of its members and the public for funding our vital conservation work, so this gift is very much appreciated."
The Wild Trout Trust is dedicated to the protection and survival of the brown trout, Britain's only native species of trout, and the Songbird Survival Trust conducts important research into the declining population of songbirds in the country despite major efforts to improve habitats in recent years.
The hugely popular Holkham Country Fair is held every other year and is attended by more than 40,000 people over the weekend. It celebrates the English countryside and all its traditions and is fittingly held on an estate famed for its pioneering contribution to farming methods over the centuries.
6th July 2011 - Urban Children Learn About Life in the Country
More than 100 school children from urban parts of Norfolk visited Holkham on 5th July to get an insight into country life. The children, from Norfolk schools St Michaels Bowthorpe in Norwich, St Michaels Saddlebow in Kings Lynn and Whitefriars CE School, Kings Lynn learned about different trees and the production of timber, got involved in pond dipping, and discovered some of the bugs and mini-beasts found in the lake at Holkham.
They also learned about the herd of deer and production of venison and made their own ice cream sundaes using ice cream made on the estate. They heard about the estate’s farming operation and crops grown for the food chain and different aspects of the game department.
Shirley Browell, visitor manager at Holkham, said “This has become an important annual event and we are glad to work with the country Trust and provide an educational day for school children who live in urban areas. They love to visit Holkham and see all the various activities undertaken on the estate and we hope the visit leaves them with a lasting appreciation of the countryside.”
16th April 2011 – Spring Clean for Holkham National Nature Reserve
Local volunteers, residents and staff from Natural England and the Holkham Estate gathered together recently to spring clean the pine woods at Holkham beach.The 23 volunteers gathered at Lady Anne’s Drive at Holkham Beach. Natural England supplied gloves, black bags, and graspers for everyone and the group picked their way through the National Nature Reserve to Wells, finishing with a well earned free lunch in the newly-opened Beach Café.
From the variety of objects the litter pick uncovered some of the more unusual items included half a rusty BBQ, a pair of socks and a car tyre and inner tube.
Catherine Foreman from Natural England said: “This is a great way to involve the local community in the care of and upkeep of Holkham National Nature Reserve. It is stunning area of natural beauty and it is our aim to keep it looking its best for visitors and safer for wildlife throughout the year.”
11th April 2011 – A Fascinating History of the White Cat, an Elopement and a Matriarch of a Bedouin Tribe.
Just some of the features of a new exhibition at Holkham Hall highlighting the wives and daughters who have influenced Holkham
The exhibition charts the fascinating history of the wives and daughters who have made Holkham Hall their home. From the marriage of the founder of the family fortunes, Sir Edward Coke to Bridget Paston in 1583, through the generations to the current wives and daughters of today.A series of beautifully designed boards on display throughout the striking Palladian mansion, have drawn from the extensive archives to produce an insight into how history was influenced through the female members of the Coke family. Visitors will also have the chance to see three stunning designer wedding dresses, including one created by Royal dress designer Norman Hartnell.
The exhibition feature many points of interest including:
A 16th century wife who was very independent and chose to keep her former name of Lady Hatton after her marriage to Sir Edward Coke.The fair complexion and the temperamental nature of Mary Campbell, wife of the 1st Earl’s son, which earned her the name of ‘The White Cat’.
The elopement of the 1st Earl’s younger sister at the age of sixteen, which led to her being disowned by her brother, but as her brother died childless her grandson eventually inherited Holkham in 1776 and became the famous ‘Coke of Norfolk'. Jane Digby – the favourite granddaughter of Coke of Norfolk, who left her elderly husband to run off at 20 years old with an Austrian prince, then fell in love with a Greek count and later met a young nobleman in Syria, where she became the matriarch of the Mezrabi women. And the case of Jane Dutton in the 18th century who had only been at Holkham with her husband for ten months, when her first child, a son, was stillborn after she was frightened by a mouse which climbed into her nightcap. Although she had three more children, they were all girls. After her death her husband married an 18 year old – 50 years his junior and they had a son who inherited Holkham and the title.
Designer Wedding and Evening Dresses on Display:
The wedding dress worn by Lady Anne Coke at her wedding to Colin Tennant, 3rd Baron Glenconner, was designed by Royal dress designer, Norman Hartnell. Royal guests at the wedding included Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, who flew into RAF Marham. Lady Glenconner was on the front page of Tatler in 1952 when she was ‘Debutante of the Year’.Also on display is the wedding dress worn by Polly Whately at her marriage to Viscount Thomas Coke. The dress was designed by her mother, the society dressmaker Belinda Belville, who founded the famous fashion house, Belville Sassoon. Following tradition Viscountess Coke wore the family Victorian white diamond tiara, made in the time of the 2nd Earl of Leicester.Lady Laura Coke, daughter of the 7th Earl of Leicester married Jonathan Paul at St Withburga’s church, Holkham. Her wedding dress was made by top London designer Azar in cream silk crepe sourced from Paris. The dress features embroidery by Hand & Lock to reflect the design of the family tiara she wore.
Two designer evening dresses are also on show with one being worn by Lady Glenconner, which was designed by Belinda Belville and worn at her sister Sarah’s coming out ball held at Holkham in 1962. The second one is a Charleston dress which was worn by Marion Trefusis, wife of the 4th Earl.
7th April 2011 - Encouraging Young People to consider Their Environment and Their Future
The Holkham Estate has a long history of links with education and over the decades many young people have visited whether in school parties or as university students.On 7th April Holkham will be hosting the Climate Run, involving some 1200 young people taking part in a fun run and having the chance to learn more about the many different work opportunities they can pursue after school.It is also an opportunity for those pupils to consider the environment as they take part in the run through the Holkham parkland.
As part of this ongoing process which bridges the gap between urban and rural communities, the estate works with the national charity, The Country Trust, to provide special education tours for urban schools.Last year schools from King’s Lynn and Bowthorpe in Norwich came to the estate for a dedicated visit. In the course of their day they had a series of talks and displays from different departments to show the pupils where food comes from and how the cultivation is managed alongside dedicated areas for wildlife.
In the woods they learned about timber management and the estate’s farm manager also explained about crops grown for the food chain.Tim Marshall the head gardener took them on a tour of the private gardens and the Arboretum before the pupils had the chance to make their own ice cream sundaes with the home made ice cream in the Stables Café.
Celia Deeley, general manager of Holkham Enterprises said: “It is very important for young people to learn about the many and varied opportunities for work in the future and to see education as an on-going process.The day will also encourage them to think about their environment and to consider raising funds for charity. For all these reasons, we are delighted to be hosting the Climate Run.”
24th March 2011 - Holkham Beach Wins Coast Award
Press Release from Coast Magazine
Holkham Beach in Norfolk has been crowned the ‘Best British Beach’ in the Coast Awards 2011, in association with Joules, retaining the coveted title for an incredible third consecutive year.
Four miles of golden sands, grassy dunes and a maze of creeks and saltings framed under big Norfolk skies once again captivated the readers of Coast magazine to vote Holkham as their top choice for the ‘Best British Beach’. Studland in Dorset and Botany Bay in Kent were runners up, both celebrating their first time in the top three.
The annual Coast Awards celebrate the people and places that represent all that is innovative, valuable and exciting around the British coastline. This year’s ten categories include Best Boutique Hotel by the Sea, Best-Loved Pier, Best Green Marine Campaign, Unsung Coastal Hero and the Joules Award for Best Coastal Path.
Coast magazine was inundated with thousands of votes from across the UK and, searching for the very best Britain’s coast has to offer, a panel of seven experts – TV presenter Michaela Strachan, Director of The Twentieth Century Society Catherine Croft, Managing Director of Joules Tom Joule, Restaurateur, Fishmonger, Writer and Chef Mitch Tonks, Vice President, Sustainable Markets, SeaWeb Melanie Siggs, Travel Writer Christopher Somerville and Director of Strategy and Communications at VisitBritain Patricia Yates – joined Coast Editor Clare Gogerty to sift through scores of nominees and decide eight of the ten category winners and runners-up.The ‘Best British Beach’ and ‘Best Seaside Holiday Destination’ categories were decided on Coast reader votes alone.
TV presenter Michaela Strachan awarded the winners and runners-up their prizes at the Coast Awards 2011 ceremony, which was held yesterday at the Country Living Fair in London.
Coast Editor Clare Gogerty says, “We are delighted to join with Joules once again in celebrating an especially strong line-up of seaside talent. The quality of this year’s nominations is proof that the visitor experience and lifestyle to be had by the British coast just keeps on getting better. Congratulations to Holkham for being voted ‘Best British Beach’ for a third time by Coast readers.”
6th January 2011 - Holkham Estate Employee Wins County Farming Award
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A north Norfolk farm employee has been voted ‘best in the region’ at the Norfolk Farm Vets Awards 2010.Jon Smith, who is part of the farming team at the Holkham Estate, triumphed over five other finalists to be crowned Norfolk Farm Vets’ Farmer of the Year at the Assembly Rooms in Swaffham.
This annual event was established two years ago by the veterinary practice in order to honour local farm clients who they felt went above and beyond the call of duty and produced outstanding results with their livestock. In assessing the category, the judges commented on the great job Jon does at Holkham. He was felt to be enthusiastic, knowledgeable and an authority on the restructuring and commercial aspects of feeding and animal management.
Will Stevenson director of Norfolk Farm Vets said: “Jon is a worthy winner of this award. Nothing is too much trouble for him and he puts an enormous amount of effort into running a successful unit and helping others.”
Receiving his winner’s shield and bottle of champagne Jon commented: “I am very proud to have won this title especially against such strong competition. I believe this achievement would not have been possible without the support of my colleagues and all the team at Holkham.”
24th May 2010- New Car Park Is Planned To Ease Pressure On Town
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Plans for a new car park designed to ease pressure on traffic in Wells-next-the-Sea have been put forward to North Norfolk District Council by the Holkham Estate. The proposed car park would be on land owned by the estate to the north of Freeman Street and is the site which was designated for a public car park by the council in September 2009.
Designed to provide over 300 parking spaces for cars, bicycles and coaches, it would help to remove coaches from the town’s narrow streets. A new footpath would be incorporated which would take pedestrians over a ditch to emerge at the existing football field car park, leading visitors naturally into town while avoiding the children’s play area.
David Horton-Fawkes estates director at Holkham said: “We would be incorporating a considerable amount of natural hedging and planting. We would also be including a sustainable drainage system including new reed beds to enhance the ecology on the site. We hope this proposed car park would ease congestion on the town, particularly on the Beach Road and Quay junction and attract more people to visit with the increased parking available.”
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12th May 2010 - Adnams and Holkham Estate Announce Partnership Agreement
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A partnership has been announced which will bring together a leading East Anglian hotelier and one of the area’s most historic estates.
Adnams and the Holkham Estate have forged a joint venture which will see Adnams Hotels managing both The Victoria at Holkham and The Globe at Wells–next-the-Sea with immediate effect.
The hotels are part of the Holkham Estate home of the Earl of Leicester. The Victoria was built in 1838 and was extensively refurbished in 2001 by the Earl’s son Lord Coke and his wife Polly. The Victoria is situated on the Holkham Estate and is close to Holkham Beach while The Globe is situated in the Georgian square of The Buttlands in Wells-next-the-Sea.
Adnams Chief Executive Andy Wood explains the link: “The partnership between the Holkham Estate and Adnams has developed over the years as our Cellar & Kitchen store is adjacent to The Victoria. Both the estate and Adnams are well-known East Anglian brands, famous for providing excellent quality food, drink and places to stay. Our recent experience of extending the Adnams hotel offer outside of Southwold at Fritton House is working extremely well. We are very much looking forward to working with the Estate and the teams at The Victoria and The Globe.”
David Horton-Fawkes Estates Director said: “We are delighted to be working with Adnams. We are confident they share our commitment to quality and they have the expertise and experience necessary to manage these important estate businesses. We chose Adnams because they recognize the value that parties bring to this partnership and we look forward to working together for the benefit of our customers and guests”
