Cellar Tours: Explore the working heart of the Hall

Beneath the splendour of Holkham’s grand staterooms lies a bustling world few ever saw… until now.

Join our expert guides as you peel back the centuries and explore the fascinating cellars and courtyards once alive with the clatter, chatter and quiet, tireless work of the ‘downstairs staff.’ This was the working heart of the Hall, a world beneath your feet where scullery maids scrubbed, housemaids hurried along clever corridor networks, and the butler had his own modest room to rest.

You’ll walk through spaces filled with original kitchen tools and utensils, everyday objects that bring the past vividly to life. Explore the old laundry room, the wood store (still used today to fuel the state room fireplaces), and the vast kitchen complex that prepared meals to be delivered to the Family Wing over a quarter of a mile away! See where staff dined, shared stories and sipped on ‘small beer’ after long days of hard work.

Find your bearings, if you can, with maps that show your location beneath the grand state rooms. It’s surprisingly easy to get disoriented down here. You’ll see the original boiler, now a historical relic sitting beside our modern, sustainable biomass heating system – a striking contrast between past and present ingenuity.

And here’s the twist: this ‘cellar’ isn’t underground at all. Built cleverly at ground level, bathed (in places) in natural light, making it a far more pleasant, and efficient, place to work than you might expect.

Step into the unseen, a behind-the-scenes glimpse into life below stairs.

SPECIAL OFFER! Book both an attic tour and cellar tour on the same day for £40.

From the quiet quarters above, to the working world below, this is your chance to explore Holkham’s hidden history from top to bottom!

Attic Tours: Venture into the Voids: Climb to the hidden heights of Holkham, where servants once moved unseen through secret staircases and concealed doors to tend to the grand state rooms and bedchambers. Explore long-forgotten passages and even see where Princess Victoria’s ladies in waiting were once accommodated. Step into the highest tower rooms where you can marvel at the vast manuscript collection and glimpse the space above the Marble Hall ceiling to learn how it was built.

This offer is only available to book at our Visitor Reception either by phone on 01328 713111 or in person.

The Details

Be aware! These tours are not for everybody. You will need to climb down lots of steep stairs so do wear sensible shoes. This is a tour of a working environment and some surfaces may not be clean – please don’t wear your best clothes.