Sledmere House is a country house located in the village of Sledmere in East Yorkshire, just 30 minutes drive from High Oaks Grange. It's a great day out for the whole family.
The historic country house was built between 1699 and 1705 on the site of a previous manor house. The gardens were laid out by Humphry Repton in 1803. The gardens have been open to visitors since 1994 and now cover 25 acres. There are over 30 acres of woodland surrounding the gardens, with miles of walks and trails across heathland, ancient woodland and meadows.
The Gardens
The gardens contain many features of Repton's style, including serpentine paths and groves of trees. The Walled Garden is a lovely place to walk and take in the variety of plants, produce and flowers on offer. It has seating available as well as a summer house where you can take a quiet moment to enjoy the gardens. In addition to the formal gardens there are extensive parkland walks offering views over open countryside towards the North Sea coast.
The garden is open seasonally throughout the year from the end of March through to the end of October.
The House
Sledmere House is located in the village of Sledmere, East Yorkshire. It was built as a country house by Sir Tatton Sykes in 1730 and has been owned by his descendants ever since. The house has been described as one of England's finest examples of Georgian architecture; it has been continuously occupied since its construction and has never been modernized or altered beyond repair.
The rooms inside Sledmere House are named after members of the Sykes family who have lived there over its history. You can find further details of the Sykes family in the Wagoner's Museum (just before the entrance to the gardens).
Curated tours of the house are offered through Spring, Summer and Autumn where you can learn about the family, the history of the house and the various exhibits and displays. Tickets for tours are required to be purchased in advance.
You can buy your tickets at Sledmere House and Gardens
The Farm Park
As you walk into the courtyard you will notice the beautiful Shire Horses in their stables. Often they will be looking out and happy to receive nose strokes. Sledmere House is also home to some rare animal breeds - it is a Rare Breed Conservation Park. You'll find a variety of different farm animals such as pigs, sheep, poultry, horses, goats and sheep. They currently have a flock of Leicester Longwool sheep, Golden Guernsey Goats and Oxford Black and Sandy Pigs. The animals make a visit to Sledmere a delight for children.
Adventure Playground
At the end of the farm park, children will be running off to play at the adventure playground. Slides, swings, see-saw, scramble nets and even a zip line, it will keep the children entertained for hours.
The Cafe
If hunger strikes during your visit then you'll find a good range of bites to satisfy the hungriest of tummies. You can enjoy hot meals, sandwiches as well as children's picnics or just a cup of tea and cake. There is inside and outside seating in the cafe.
Sledmere House is a great day out for the whole family whilst staying at High Oaks Grange. Why not check out the blog for other recommendations for days out.
