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Hylands Estate Open Day


Join us for our Open Estate Days every third 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 morning tour.

Urban Food Fest will be joining us with delicious street food available just outside the house. There will also be handmade gifts and freshly baked goods for sale from local traders.

Enjoy our delightful vintage afternoon tea experience in the Terrace Room (on select months, booking is essential).

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 via a Grassroots Music grant from Arts Council England.

Upcoming dates for 2024

20 October
17 November
15 December

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

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 20 October

This month’s Open Estate Day will commemorate World War I and II, along with Hylands House’s role as a military hospital during World War I with input from Sir Daniel Gooch who owned the house at the time.

Here is what’s coming up on Sunday 20 October from 10am to 3pm.

Activities

Join Chelmsford Museum in the Banqueting Room as they return this month with family activities including code breaking and crafts; an object handling table showing World War I and World War II related items; a popular volunteer talk about Chelmsford at War, plus a special talk from their Museum Memories tour guide Rachel who will be appearing as Land Girl, Dorothy Capon to talk about Chelmsford residents during the war.

For families, make your own Poppy to wear from now until Armistice Day with our arts and craft activity in the Terrace Room. Join us in the Drawing Room for storytelling by Mike Dodsworth at 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm and 2pm.

Our tours of the ground floor of Hylands House will take place promptly at 10am and 1pm.

Outside Hylands House and on the grand staircase, we will be joined by the Essex Historic Military Vehicle Association (EHMVA), one of the fastest growing military Associations in the UK, who help preserve military history, vehicles, and artefacts. They will be bringing Esther the Jeep, a 1943 British Airborne model which would have been used at the Battle of Arnhem. Esther was also one of the vehicles that appeared in the film A Bridge Too Far. Sadly they were unable to make it last year due to unforeseen circumstances, so we can’t wait to welcome them to Hylands Estate this year!

Food & Craft Market

Urban Food Fest are back, bringing together a fantastic selection of outdoor traders and vendors again for the street food and craft market outside of Hylands House.

Enjoy the Hot Box DJ set outside in the market whilst you’re here.

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.

Find unique items #MadeAtHylands in the Artist Shop and discover hidden gems in the Friends of Hylands House second hand bookshop.

Keep an eye out for Hawthorn Heavy Horse carriage rides that start from the front of the House! Pay on the day and take a trip around the Estate with a difference (weather and ground condition dependent).

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!

An aerial view of Hylands House with the Urban Food Fest market taking place outside,
People enjoying the courtyard area of The Stables.
Arts Council England logo

Vintage Afternoon Tea

On select months, enjoy afternoon tea in the beautiful Terrace Room, with delightful views of the back lawn. A wonderful treat for friends and family.

With a vintage theme and traditional menu for you to enjoy in the idyllic setting of Hylands House, what better way to spend a Sunday afternoon!