Visiting the house at Lyme

A view of the South Front of Lyme Park from across the lake with snow covered ground, Cheshire — Frosty mornig views of the South Front of Lyme Park, Cheshire | © Victoria Baker

Like many great houses, Lyme was built and rebuilt, embellished and enlarged throughout its ownership by the Legh family, with each generation making its mark and creating the house we see today. Explore the many rooms of the house and discover unusual objects and strange secrets as you walk through six centuries of family history at Lyme in Cheshire.

Christmas is closed for conservation

The house is closed for conservation work in January, reopening 15 February 2025. Consider booking a Behind Closed Door Tour to help us with our charitable cause to protect and care for collection for everyone to enjoy, or scroll to the bottom of this page to learn about Lyme's history.

Specialist Tours - Behind Closed Doors

The house is closed in January 2025 for conservation work, opening on 15 February 2025 for the new season. In the meantime why not book on to a specialist tour to see Lyme's house and collection in a new light. All money raised from these tours go to supporting Lyme's charitable cause to protect and care for collection for everyone to enjoy.

Collections and Conservation Tour

Wednesdays at 11am in January. £17 general ticket | £10 National Trust members

On this private tour discover how we care for Lyme's collection. Go behind closed doors and see areas of Lyme you won't see on a usual visit - discover collection storage spaces filled with delicate textiles not on display and climb the Wyatt tower for spectacular views of the courtyard, where stone and metal collection items are kept. Tickets include the private tour with a Lyme expert, and entry to the park and gardens. Tours are limited to 10 people and booking is essential.

Find out more and book here

Servant's Quarters Tour

Saturdays and Sundays in January at 11am and 1pm. £12 general ticket | £5 National Trust members

The house at Lyme has many secrets from throughout the centuries. As part of this hour tour see the servants' areas not usually on the house route and learn about the lives of the people who lived here. Tickets include the private tour with a Lyme expert, and entry to the park and gardens.

Find out more and book here

Collection items to look out for

Over 600 years, Lyme has acquired all kinds of unusual objects and strange secrets so you're bound to notice hidden details on every visit. Here are some highlights from the collection.

The Sarum Missal at Lyme showing the initials of William Caxton who produced the book in 1487 in conjunction with the printer Guillame Maynyal in Paris. — The Sarum Missal is the only surviving, largely intact, book of its kind. | © National Trust Images/Paul Harris

The Sarum Missal in the Saloon

The Sarum Missal at Lyme is the only surviving, largely intact, book of its kind. Printed by William Caxton in Paris 1487, the book is unique in having belonged to one family for over five centuries and represents the changing religious views of the country during that period. The Sarum Missal can be found in the Library.

Discover the most important printed book in the National Trust

Lyme has the finest clock collection in the National Trust | © Andreas von Einsiedel

Clock collection in the State Bedroom

The collection at Lyme is so large that the majority of the older clocks are displayed in the State Bedroom and Dressing Room. Take a closer look at the intricate inner workings and find out more about their individual histories. In this room you’ll find the Fromanteel clock. Dating from 1658, this timepiece is thought to be from the first ever batch of pendulum clocks made in England. It is likely to be the oldest surviving pendulum clock in the entire country.

The Erard Harp in the Drawing Room

This beautiful golden harp was bought by Thomas Legh in 1829, a year after his marriage to the young heiress Ellen Turner. However their relationship was to be tragically short-lived, as she died in 1831. After this, Thomas went back to travelling the world, and it would be 12 years before he settled back at Lyme again.

Greek stele in Library at Lyme Park. Dating from the 5th century, it depicts an actor or poet holding masks of the tragic and comic muses. — Discover explorer Thomas Legh’s most important archaeological find in the Library | © Andreas von Einsiedel

Greek Stele in the Library

Discover explorer Thomas Legh’s most important archaeological finds. He discovered these marble sculptures in Athens in 1812 and asked Lewis Wyatt to incorporate them into the design for the new library at Lyme. Thomas displayed his most treasured objects here to showcase the ancient culture he had witnessed and admired.

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The History of Lyme

Unlike many great estates, Lyme was a much-loved home to generations of one family and their valued and loyal workers. Living through England's most troubled times, the Legh family hung on to their home and (mostly) their heads, and this impact can still be seen across the estate today. The largest estate in Cheshire, Lyme has been designed on a grand scale over a number of centuries. It has been a place to receive occasional royal guests, take friends hunting or to entertain on a lavis scale.

Whet your appetite before your visit and learn about the 600 years of history at Lyme by clicking here.