Visiting the house at Sizergh

Father holding a toddler, with a small boy standing next to him. They are looking upwards at the elaborate wooden carvings in the house at Sizergh. — There's lots to discover in the house | © National Trust Images/John Millar

Sizergh has been home to the Strickland family for 800 years. Unearth their story through Sizergh’s rare Elizabethan artistry and diverse collection of over 2,400 objects.

The House is closed for cleaning and conservation until 18 March. We're looking forward to another exciting programme of conservation in action, plus tours and talks.

The Inlaid Chamber at Sizergh

The Inlaid Chamber features some of the finest-quality, and most visually striking, Elizabethan joinery to survive in the north of England. A rare masterpiece of heraldic stained-glass windows, ornate plasterwork and elaborate inlaid panelling, it was a sign of the political aspirations and wealth of Sizergh’s original Tudor owners.

Flemish tapestries in the Library

The Library houses a set of rare wall hangings depicting The Meeting of Antony and Cleopatra – based on the famous stories of Plutarch, and later, Shakespeare. They are the largest surviving examples from this series in the world. In 2018, we were successful in our bid to fund the tapestry considered to be in most urgent need, The Meeting of Antony and Cleopatra. The funding was allocated, with a gift from a will providing the funding to kick off the project.

The tapestry was away for two years, undergoing extensive restoration including cleaning, restitching, relining, and specialist treatment to restore its colour. It returned to Sizergh in 2022, and now hangs in pride of place in the Library.

None of this work would have been possible without a generous gift in will, which provided funding for the early stages of the restoration project. We are also hugely grateful to the Wolfson Foundation, who kindly supported the later stages which saw the project completed.

Conservation in Action at Sizergh | © National Trust Images/Paul Harris

The collection at Sizergh

Each of the 2,400 items that makes up the collection at Sizergh gives a glimpse back in time, telling the story of the family’s faith, tastes and even royal connections.

You’ll come across many generations of family portraits as you explore the property. Cumbrian-born George Romney, one of the most fashionable artists of his day, painted some of them. You can also get up close to rare Jacobite relics and the Catholic Royal Stuart portrait collection, which hangs in the family dining room.

With items varying from Australian boomerangs, shields and spears to a lock of King James II’s hair, discover the weird and wonderful items at Sizergh. Here are some favourites: