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.

Tickets coming soon!

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.

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.

Book an attic and cellar tour on the same date and get 10% off!

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. You are welcome to bring a bottle of water as there is no access to water on the tour route.

We ask that you refrain from taking photos during the tour, however there will be a few opportunities to take photos on the route when prompted by our tour guide.