Sudbury Hall

Sudbury Hall is an E-shaped Restoration mansion housing brilliantly crafted interior decoration. The house was begun by George Vernon around 1660, with contributions by Grinling Gibbons. It seems likely that the eccentric Vernon acted as his own architect; certainly the exterior is a peculiar mix of styles, ranging from diapered red-brick to a fanciful cupola, and entered through a two story porch.

The interior has been well-preserved, though in places the furnishings are sparse. The most impressive featuire of the house is the great staircase, where wonderful plasterwork and allegorical paintings by Louis Laguerre line the broad stairwell. The long gallery sports more superb plasterwork, with likenesses of Roman emperors sharing space with exotic animals and foliage designs.

Contained within the service wing of the house is the:

NATIONAL TRUST MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD
The museum is a fascinating collection of displays telling the story of what it was like to be a child in England from the 18th century to the present. Children can experience what it was like to be a chminey sweep by climbing a mock chimney section, but adults will no doubt prefer to examine the toy and doll collections!