Wollaton Hall, Nottingham is an Elizabethan country house which is on the small but prominent hill in Wollaton Park. It is described as a stunning Grade I listed Elizabeth mansion and is set on 500 acres of natural parkland. People have used the hall as a venue for their weddings providing their guests natural parkland with picturesque views to capture the special occasion. The house has been home to many industrialists, barons and Batman as key scenes from The Dark Knight Rises were filmed at the Wollaton Hall, Nottingham.

History

The construction works of Hall took place between the years of 1580 & 1588. The Hall was designed by the Elizabethan architect, Robert Smythson. It was built for Sir Francis Willoughby who was an English industrialist and coal owner. Original interior of the house at Wollaton Hall, Nottingham was damaged in 1801 by fire and was then remodelled.

Wollaton Hall re-opens in 1926 as a museum

In 1925 the Hall was bought by Nottingham City Counsel. The hall was then opened as a museum in 1926. The site again closed for 2 years for refurbishment and re-opened in April 2007. The Prospect Room at the top of the hall and the kitchens in the basement also opened up for the public and for guided tours following the refurbishment.

In 2008 the Splendour In Nottingham took place for the first time at Wollaton Park, Nottingham. This was then made into annual event and attracted artists such as Kaiser Chiefs and Dizzee Rascal to Nottingham.

Since its official opening in 1926 the Hall has also been home to Nottingham’s Natural History Museum which has a collection of 750,000 objects including fossils, plants shells as well as eggs to invertebrates, vertebrates and preserved spirit animals.

Deer Park & Gardens at the Wollaton Hall, Nottingham 

Wollaton Hall is also the home to the deer park and gardens. Amongst the variety of wildlife present there are also 2 types of deer’s, the red and the fallow. Deer’s have been roaming around the parkland at Hall since the 14^th Century.

Visitors are also attracted to the lake at the Wollaton Hall, Nottingham. This is an extremely beautiful place to walk and is also a perfect location to spot the local wildlife.

There is also access to the formal gardens which can be found at the rear of Wollaton Hall. The gardens hold several statues, a Doric temple and the Camellia House. The formal gardens are very popular amongst visitors and are also used for events such as weddings and outdoor theatre.

Camelia House at the Wollaton Hall, Nottingham 

This is the oldest cast-iron framed glass house in Europe. This is from 1823 and is the only remaining one in the country. This is located within the Formal Gardens. The Camelia House forms a picturesque view and is ideal for hosting pre-reception drinks and wedding photography.

Tours at the Wollaton Hall, Nottingham 

As well as seeing the Wollaton Hall alone, you can also take part in guided tours. Hidden history tours are available daily and give you the opportunity to take part in behind the scenes tour including uncovering hidden rooms and corridors. There is also the opportunity to view the prospect room and the Tudor kitchens. The Hidden tour last approximately between 45 minutes to one hour at a price of £12.00 per adult with children enjoying the tour free.

A 15 minute mini tour is also available subject to availability. This is for a fee of £5.00 per person and covers different areas of Wollaton Hall, Nottingham. As well as the hidden history and mini tours there is also an exciting secret walled garden tour. This commences in spring and is available until the end of summer. Tours are also facilitated for groups of 10 or more and Wollaton Hall can be contacted to discuss the arrangements and prices for these behind the scenes tours.

Events at the Wollaton Hall, Nottingham 

Wollaton Hall provides exciting events as well as the tours. With Halloween approaching there is the outdoor potions trail. Visitors can also benefit from the outdoor cinema experience. Visitors can enjoy a picnic experience by bringing their own picnic items, picnic blankets and seats to enjoy the performances of the outdoor cinema and benefit from this rare experience.

Planning your visit

The entry fees for the Nottingham Industrial Museum is £4.00 per adult and £3.00 for students or concessions. Children are permitted entry free provided they are accompanied by an adult. The museum also accepts educational visits as well as group visits. Group discounts also apply where one free ticket is available for every ten tickets purchased.

The Wollaton hall and its museums are opened daily from 11am until 4pm with the last entry at 3:30pm. The park, formal gardens, courtyard café, deli and shops are open from 9am to 5pm. The 508 café is open from 10am to 5:00pm.

When planning your visit to the Wollaton Hall and if planning by car then please be aware that parking charges apply. Parking for cars is available at a charge of £3 for up to 2 hours or £5 for all day parking through the RingGo App. Coach parking is also available at £30.00 whilst season parking tickets are available for a period of one year for the Wollaton Hall & Deer Park and range from £75-£100.00.

Visitors have the opportunity to also shop whilst visiting the Hall with shops located within the Hall and Courtyard. The shops offer art prints as well as unique gifts. If you have visited Wollaton Hall and forgot to visit the shops you can still take advantage by visiting the online shop. Wollaton Hall also caters for educational needs and provides school sessions which consist of topics such as wild words, stone age and Mary Anning and her fossils.

Wollaton Hall is located 3 miles west of the city centre and is accessible from the A52, A6514 or from the M1. Public Transport can also be used and further information on this is available from the Nottingham Tourist Information or via Traveline East Midlands.

A nearby attraction of interest might be the Nottingham Castle which is a 14 minute car drive from the Wollaton Hall.

If you are living around the Nottingham area and are experiencing any family law issues then contact  our divorce lawyers in Nottingham for a free initial consultation on 0115 666 3800. We are located at 2 King Street, Nottingham, NG1 2AS.

You can find driving directions below from our office to Wollaton Hall :