Near Thetford, Suffolk · England
Arlington Hall
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At a glance
Arlington Hall has been home to the Dukes of Grafton for over 350 years, and it stands today at the center of 10,500 acres of Suffolk parkland, woodland, and farmland near Thetford. Eleven bedrooms sleep up to 21, and the house is let for private use.
Inside, a grand dining room, a library, a billiard room, and a blue reception room are filled with antiques and artwork, and a fountain and a maze sit in front of the house. Evenings can run from drinks in the billiard room to dinner in the grand dining room, with a private chef.
Outdoors, John Evelyn’s Pleasure Grounds and Capability Brown’s waterways set the scene. The waterways open for kayaking and paddleboarding, and the lawns are set for tennis and croquet. The Temple, a domed banqueting house William Kent designed in 1746, stands in the grounds with the Garden Cabin close by.
Highlights
- Home to the Dukes of Grafton for over 350 years, with Pleasure Grounds laid out by John Evelyn, a tennis court, lawns for croquet and badminton, and country pursuits across the estate.
- Waterways reshaped by Capability Brown, open for kayaking and paddleboarding, with seasonal wild swimming.
- A billiards and games room indoors, a sauna available by request, daily housekeeping, and full butler service by request.
Accommodation
The Garden Cabin
Two bedrooms · One double, one single
The Garden Cabin stands about twenty yards from the Temple, in the grounds rather than the Hall. It is rented together with the Temple and cannot be booked on its own.
The Temple
Two king bedrooms · Up to 4 people
William Kent designed the Temple in 1746 as a banqueting house for the 2nd Duke of Grafton. It is an octagonal, domed Palladian building and one of his last works, and a meticulous refurbishment has kept many of its original features.
The Temple sits in a secluded corner of the grounds. Its windows look to the parkland, the River Blackbourne, the Church of St Genevieve and Arlington Hall with its gardens. A roll-top bath and a ground-floor walk-in shower serve the bedrooms.
The Hall
11 bedrooms · Up to 21 people
The Hall’s 11 bedrooms each have their own character. One has windows on three sides, another has views over the estate from a height, and another was traditionally given to visiting members of the royal family. The rooms include a four-poster bedroom, a floral bedroom and a red bedroom, and some bathrooms have roll-top baths.
The existing house was reimagined in the mid-1600s in a French architectural style. The 2nd Duke remodeled it again in 1750 with the architect Matthew Brettingham. A fire in 1902 destroyed the south and west wings, and the 12th Duke has led a restoration since 2012.
The Reception Rooms
The Hall has a grand dining room, a billiard room, a library, a blue reception room and a small dining room, with antiques and artwork throughout.
Gallery
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Further information
Activities
A long promenade and the Basin, a lake on the south side of the Hall, both date to Evelyn’s design, and a maze and a fountain sit in front of the house.
Capability Brown’s waterways run through the grounds and can be explored by kayak or paddleboard, with seasonal wild swimming also offered.
A tennis court is set in the Pleasure Grounds, and badminton and croquet are played on the lawns.
The Grounds
The park around the Hall is one of the few remaining Kent landscapes in England. Kent also redesigned the estate’s watermill in 1731, and St Genevieve church, built in the 17th century, stands in the park.
About 1,500 acres of the estate are woodland, including the largest semi-ancient broadleaf woodland in East Anglia, with 540 acres designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Dining
Dinners can be served in the Grand Dining Room, with a private chef available. The Old Kitchen is where the estate serves afternoon tea at its public open days.
Further afield
Beyond the estate, Thetford Forest is close for cycling, riding, and wildlife watching. Lynford Arboretum is good for a walk, and Lynford Stag for a picnic.
Newmarket is a 25-minute drive. Cambridge and Norwich are each within an hour, and the Suffolk coast is about 45 minutes away, where Pinney’s of Orford sells local oysters and smoked salmon.
England
England runs on Greenwich Mean Time, shifting to British Summer Time, one hour ahead, between late March and late October. The country is compact enough that no domestic journey is particularly arduous: London to Bath takes ninety minutes by train, London to York is two hours, London to Manchester just over two.
Our Experts
England is a great destination solely for the diversity of its experiences. You can visit ancient castles, or modern art galleries. Enjoy swanky bars on a Saturday night, or wholesome country pubs on a Sunday afternoon.
England has a quaint, idyllic feel to it that you really have to experience to understand. The lush green of the countryside is a must-see for nature lovers.
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The entire London trip was planned by Jaike at Out of Office. We had an amazing time. The food, the tours, the drivers where all first notch.
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Frequently asked questions
What does Out Of Office do?
Out Of Office is a luxury LGBTQ+ travel company specializing in tailor-made vacations and extraordinary journeys around the world. We create bespoke luxury vacations, LGBTQ+ honeymoons, safaris, cruises, beach escapes, private tours and group trips, with every itinerary designed around you. Our travel specialists combine global expertise, first-hand destination knowledge and trusted local partners to create seamless, highly personalized experiences.
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Out Of Office is an LGBTQ+ owned and run luxury travel specialist, with particular expertise in gay and LGBTQ+ travel. We understand the additional considerations that can come with traveling as an LGBTQ+ person or couple, from local laws and customs to finding genuinely welcoming hotels and experiences.
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