Events at Local Properties

 These events have been given to us by Local NT properties.

 Please check that they are still going ahead as we are not told of cancellations.


Anglesey Abbey

Anglesey Abbey has periods in the year with something to offer, free for national Trust members or where normal admission prices apply.

 This is our normal programme but please check what is on offer at our web site.

February - our gardens are transformed into a sea of white as over 270 varieties of snowdrop herald the arrival of spring.

March – see spring bulbs as they emerge in the gardens.

June/July – our Herbacious border at its best and our rose gardens in bloom.

September - see the beautiful colour and varieties of dahlia in our garden. The House will also be decorated with beautiful displays.

Dunwich Heath

You do not need to book a parking space. Our car park is open daily from 10am to 4pm and locked outside of opening times. The car park machine by the visitor Information Centre is in use for scanning your membership card to gain free parking. The tea room is open each day and the kiosk is open at weekends.

2026

Walk with a Ranger - 19 June, 10.00am-11.30am If you’ve ever wondered how we look after the precious lowland heath and other habitats at Dunwich Heath, here’s your opportunity to find out! Take a walk with one of our rangers to discover more about this special coastal 19 landscape and the unique plant and animal species that thrive in this increasingly rare habitat. 

Nightjar Walk - 3, 17 June and 8, 22 July, 9.15pm-10.45pm Join us on a nighttime walk around Dunwich Heath to learn more about these unusual and fascinating birds. Watch for them as they churr from the trees and fly low across the heath, hunting for moths and other insects. 

Photography workshops - 18 July, various times Professional photographer Phil Morley will be returning to Dunwich Heath to lead two photography workshops this summer. Explore the area through the lens of your camera and get top tips on how to take the perfect photo! Choose between landscape or close-up photography - or make a whole day of it and try out both. 

To find out more, visit our website at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunwich heath. 

Flatford

The site is now open again. There is no need to book. The car park and walking routes will remain open for local exercise. 

Last year Flatford dropped the £3.50 guided walk charge, however they would appreciate donations to make up for the loss of income.

The tea room is open every day and the shop Wednesday – Sunday. 

Please see Flatford NT website over the next few months for full details of events.

Celebrating Constable at Flatford 

The National Trust is getting ready to celebrate John Constable’s big birthday on 11 June with a series of events through the summer. 

11 June marks 250 years since the birth of one of England’s most famous landscape painters, so it is a very significant year for Flatford and East Bergholt. Following an exhibition earlier in May by the Colchester Arts Society called Carry on Constable, the year of celebration continues on 30 May with a visit by Suffolk Archives on Tour. This converted trailer and stall will have a Constable 250 theme, with some interesting stories on display. They will visit again on 1 and 2 August. Times for this event are 10.00am-4.00pm. 

On 11 June itself we will be working with the village community to host a press day. We are expecting considerable national and possibly international interest, so we want to be ready to share what’s special about Flatford. We’ll also be launching our art residency collaboration with the Essex Cultural Diversity Project, led by artists Tom Hobden and Phoebe Stapleton, entitled The Rivers and Skies. 

Later in the month, on 19 June, our Countryside Manager Dave Piper will be leading a walk called Maintaining a Masterpiece, looking at how the National Trust manages the Constable views. From 10-13 July (11.00am-3.00pm), we are excited to be hosting a ‘Draw-In’ event jointly organised by the Colchester and Ipswich Art Societies. This weekend of celebration will see the societies take over the Granary at 22 Flatford and offer drop-in art activities and free art tuition to visitors of all ages. As the summer progresses, the art residency will take shape, with Tom and Phoebe delivering workshops on site and in the wider community. The project will culminate in late August with an art installation in the Granary - more details to follow on this exciting project. 

On 28 August (7.30pm-9.30pm), we welcome Packing Shed Theatre for a play inspired by The Hay Wain. The play imagines the story of the people in the painting and explores what their lives may have been like. Booking is essential. 

Through the summer, our volunteers will be delivering guided tours on most days and our welcome team will be on hand to point visitors in the right direction for activities. We’ll also be signposting people to activities in the village. We look forward to sharing this summer of celebration with all our visitors. 

For more details of these and other events, please visit the website (see below). 

Simon Peachey, Site Manager, 

Flatford Other Upcoming Events 

Constable 250: Flatford Guided Tour Until 26 September - various times and dates available (booking required) This year is the 250th anniversary of John Constable’s birth, join a fascinating guided tour about his life and work and enjoy the iconic views that inspired masterpieces such as the Hay Wain. 

Shades of Simon - a tribute to Paul Simon (booking essential) 25 July, 7.00pm-9.45pm 

Opening times are best to check on the website before any visit but generally Flatford is open every day from 10.00am-4.00pm (please note the shop is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays). 

The website can be used to access booking details for the bookable events. Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/flatford 

Grange Barn - Coggeshall

Grange Barn - Only open for events this year, 2026.

Upcoming Events 

Coggeshall Open Gardens Community Day 7 June, 11.00am-6.00pm Come and explore the spectacular Grange Barn and its grounds as part of Coggeshall Open Gardens. 

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 23 July, 3.00pm-4.30pm DOT Productions presents The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (booking required) 

Lady Windermere’s Fan 20 August, 7.30pm-9.30pm DOT Productions present Lady Windermere’s Fan (booking required) 

Market at the Barn 19 September, 10.00am-3.00pm A celebration of locally produced food, drink and crafts, in one of Europe’s oldest and largest timber framed buildings. 

The website can be used to access booking details for the bookable events. Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/grange-barn 

Ickworth

Important notice - The house, parkland, gardens, shops & cafés at Ickworth are open. Please check opening times for detailed opening. Our quieter times to visit are weekdays & after 1pm. 

We look forward to welcoming you back.

2026

Various House Tours Daily between 2 March-1 November, 10.45am-11.30am 

We have a variety of tours available to join when visiting Ickworth for those who wish to delve a little further into Ickworth’s history and collections. We have a range of tours to suit your interest, from hearing the stories of the servants who lived and worked here, to seeing the collections through the eyes of the collections team who care for them. Schedule: • Monday: A Life Below Stairs Tour • Tuesday: An Introduction to Ickworth • Wednesday: A Conservation Tour • Thursday: An Introduction to Ickworth • Friday: A Life Below Stairs Tour • Saturday: An Introduction to Ickworth • Sunday: An Introduction to Ickworth Tours are pre-bookable online from our website, with limited walk-up availability on the day.

Melford Hall

Important notice - We’re open Wednesday- Sunday and we have removed the booking system so you no longer need to book in advance. 

Summer opening times:

Wednesday - Sunday: 12:00 - 16:30 

Please note, last admission to the site is 3.30pm. Last orders in the tearoom at 4.00pm. 

Comments from Melford:

"Our local NT Supporter Groups are some of our most regular donors and they have funded a huge variety of things over the years. We have had everything from benches, collections conservation materials, garden tools, UV film for windows, plants for the gardens, Braille guides and croquet sets funded. We also had a three-year project with the East Suffolk NTA to conserve the Dominic Serres naval paintings at Melford. This collaboration allowed us to clean the paintings, conserve damage and replace the picture lights with bespoke LED picture lights. All of this transformed not only the condition and appearance of the paintings, but also the experience of those viewing them." 

Orford Ness

Important notice - Due to boat capacity you'll need to book your visit in advance. If you arrive without a booking, you'll unfortunately be turned away. To book please visit the What's On section on the Orford Ness NT website. Tickets are released 2 weeks in advance and are in high demand. 

Open Saturday and Sunday 


2026


Birds and Beasts Walk - 10 June, 15 July, 5 August, 9.30am-12.30pm Find out how nature has reclaimed the land and buildings at Orford Ness, which was a hive of military activity from the First World War right through to the Cold War. On this guided walk, you'll join one of our rangers on a stroll around Orford Ness and find out how we look after the landscape, as well as more about the different species that have made it their home. 


Island of Secrets Walk - 13, 21 June, 11 July, 8, 23 August, 9.30am-12.30pm Step beyond the usual ‘no access’ sign and take a guided walk through the former Atomic Weapons Research Establishment area, where you'll learn 21 more about the top-secret work that was carried out on Orford Ness during the early 20th century. 


Half-Day Trailer Tour - 18, 25 July, 15 August, 9.30am-12.30pm Take a leisurely guided tour of the Ness in our 24-seat passenger trailer, including access to the Cold War Atomic Weapons Research Establishment area which is normally 'off-limits' to visitors. 


To find out more, visit our website www.nationaltrust.org.uk/orfordness. 


Please note

The first ferry is at 10am and runs every 15 minutes outbound until 12:45. Tickets are for a timed ferry.    

National Trust Orford Ness, Quay Street, Orford, Suffolk IP12 2NU

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Oxburgh Hall:

2026

"We have just launched a new exhibition at Oxburgh called ‘A Regency Romance’, the inspiration for which came from the portraits of Agnes and Thomas Molyneux-Seel that were painted on their year-long ‘grand tour’ honeymoon around Europe circa 1823. 

The exhibition is open daily from 10.30am-3.00pm (last entry at 2.15pm) until the end of the year. 

Please check our website for further details: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/oxburgh-hall


We have received this message of thanks from Oxburgh, following ESNTA donations:

"You recently provided funds to the Oxburgh Estate for three items: an accessible picnic bench, interpretation panels for the Parterre project and interpretation panels for the West Park project.

 

I have some images for you, which I hope to come of interest.( -- which are reproduced at the bottom of the page)

 

We are still in need of creating the West Park interpretation panel (this is the next job on the list). Once created, I would be delighted to send over additional images.

 

However, we have purchased and built 2 new accessible picnic benches. These benches have extended panel edges to allow for use of a wheelchair. It has been very nice to see our visitors enjoying them in the sun. 

 

The parterre panels have been hugely successful and have correctly informed our visitors of the essential work that is happening to the Parterre and what they can expect over the next few years. We have seen a reduction in our visitor comments in regards to the Parterre since they have been in place, which is fantastic, it shows they are correctly informing our visitors. We have placed them in two ‘acorn boxes’ which we found in the workshop. 

 

Thank you once again for your kind generosity. We greatly appreciate you support, and the items purchased have made a huge difference to our visitor experience on site.


Sutton Hoo:

The Dig: A Story Unearthed, opened in early May. This new exhibition shares the true stories of the real people featured in the Netflix film The Dig including Edith Pretty, her son Robert Pretty, archaeologists Basil Brown and Peggy Piggott, as well as two of the key photographers of the excavation, Mercie Lack and Barbara Wagstaff. Alongside these stories will be some of the original costumes, jewellery and props used in the film. The exhibition opened on 8 May in the Treasury room of the High Hall and runs until 25 January 2026. 


Our temporary exhibition, The Dig: A Story Unearthed, has been extended and will be on show for another year. Entry to the exhibition is free with admission and is now on until Sunday 24 January 2027. 


2026

 

full seven-day opening, this year runs through until 15 November.  


- Josh Ward