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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.

Upcoming dates for 2025

Starting in 2025, our Open Estate Days will be on the second Sunday of every month.

8 June
13 July
10 August
14 September
12 October
9 November
14 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.

Interested in Trading?

If you’d like to be part of the market, please apply using the buttons below. Due to the high volume of applications, Essex Foodies will only be able to respond to successful applicants.

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 our guided tour at 10am.

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.

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 8 June

Activities

The days are getting warmer and summer is just around the corner, so we think it’s time for some games on the back lawn! Go Ape will be joining us up at the house with team games for you to take part in. And if you’re up for more monkeying around, head into the Terrace Room for a themed paper craft activity that’s perfect for little ones.

Inside the house, our latest exhibition in the Library explores the story of the Pryor family, who owned the estate from 1858 to 1904. Arthur Pryor was a prominent local figure, serving as a Justice of the Peace, Deputy Lieutenant of Essex, and High Sheriff.

Storyteller Mike Dodsworth returns with his popular story sessions. You’ll find him in the Drawing Room at 10.30am 11.30am, 12.30pm and 2pm in the Drawing Room.

If you are coming down for a tour of Hylands House with one of our volunteers, these start promptly at 10.30am and 1pm. You can also view the film about the restoration of the house throughout the day in the Banqueting Room.

Food & Craft Market

Following a successful start in February, Essex Foodies Market will continue to offer a fantastic range of local food and drinks vendors, alongside crafty items.

The market provides a regular platform for small, independent and local traders to sell their products and promote their brand. It first started as Writtle Foodies in October 2023 following the discontinuation of Writtle Farmer’s Market earlier that summer. Initially based at Writtle Village Green, the market quickly thrived and became well-known locally for its delicious fare and high-quality handmade products from diverse traders.

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 with live music inside The Stables courtyard. Pop by to enjoy the sounds of Rachel Brooks from 11am and Levinson from 1pm.

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

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.

An aerial view of Hylands House with a market out front.
People enjoying the courtyard area of The Stables.