Hylands Estate Open Day

Join us for our Open Estate Days every second Sunday of the month from 10am to 3pm!

Hylands Estate is fully open for you to explore and enjoy at your leisure. Discover more about the history of Hylands House at the monthly exhibition in the library and guided tours.

Enjoy a delicious street food market just outside the house. There will also be handmade gifts and freshly baked goods for sale from local traders.

The Artist Studios in The Stables are open for you to browse, with its vibrant community of artists, designers and makers. Stay and enjoy the live music programme in the courtyard provided by Hot Box Live.

See the events for this month’s Open Estate Day.

Upcoming dates for 2026

12 April
10 May
14 June
12 July
9 August
13 September
11 October
8 November
13 December

A bustling market taking place outside of Hylands House.

The Market

Each month, Essex Foodies Market brings a fantastic selection of food, drink, and craft traders to Open Estate Day, offering a variety of delicious treats and unique handmade goods. Located outside Hylands House, the market is the perfect place to explore local flavours and artisan creations. Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome to join you as you browse.

Trader applications for the 2026 markets are now closed.

Hylands Open House

Hylands House opens its doors free of charge to reveal the secrets behind its history, with an rotating monthly exhibition displayed in the library. Browse the house at your own leisure throughout the day, or join us for one of our guided tours.

Take a walk through the gardens of the Estate and learn even more about the history with our new multimedia tour. You can borrow a handset from The Stables Information Point or use your own smart phone.

Find out more about the garden tour

The Stables & Artists Studios

The Stables, which is home to a vibrant community of artists, designers and makers, will be open to explore. Take a walk through the downstairs and upstairs studios and meet our resident creatives. Discover unique handmade pieces available to purchase, or get creative yourself and book one of our experiences or workshops.

Relax with a cup of coffee from The Deli in the courtyard and enjoy live music throughout the day. Our live music programme at The Stables is provided via a Grassroots Music grant from Arts Council England.

Events for 12 April

Activities

Our next Open Estate Day celebrates people who work at Hylands, both past and present.

Check back soon for more information about the month’s themed activities.

Storytime fans won’t want to miss Mike Dodsworth, who’ll be sharing his much-loved tales in the Drawing Room at 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm and 2pm. Each session lasts around 20 minutes and is perfect for younger visitors.

Our volunteer-led guided tours run for around 45 minutes and will take place at 10.30am and 1pm, perfect for anyone keen to learn more about the House and its owners as they explore.

You can also take a moment to watch our short film about the restoration of Hylands House, playing throughout the day in the Banqueting Room.

Food & Craft Market

Essex Foodies Market is back with a delicious mix of street food, drinks, gifts and crafts. Expect fantastic seasonal menus and plenty of spring-themed gifts.

Head over to their Instagram closer to the day to see which traders will be joining us this month.

The Stables

Our resident artists throw open their studio doors and welcome you to see into their working spaces – explore upstairs as well as downstairs!

Hot Box Live provide the tunes in The Stables courtyard. Join them for live music from 11am.

Browse items #MadeAtHylands in the Artist Shop and uncover treasures in the Friends of Hylands House second-hand bookshop.

Visit the Stables Information Point and pick up your handset to explore the Pleasure Gardens in a brand-new way! Our Hylands History & Gardens multimedia tour will be available for you to hire or scan the QR code and listen along with our new tour about the Estate and how it came to be.

Our popular café The Deli will be open at The Stables all day!

Parking & Getting Here

Please note that due to wet ground conditions, overflow parking will not be available in April, so we recommend planning your journey in advance. If the car parks closest to Hylands House are busy, the Writtle-side car park is available as an alternative and is around a 10-minute walk up to the House.

During our Open Estate Days, parking charges are in effect. If you are a Chelmsford resident, you qualify for a discount on these charges. We recommend downloading the MiPermit app for faster and more convenient payment. Find out more and how to register as a resident here.

We expect the day to be very busy, so if you are able, please consider alternative ways of travelling here. View our sustainable routes leaflet for more information.