The 1620s House And Garden

The 1620s House and Garden at Donington le Heath, formerly Donington le Heath Manor House, has undergone a stunning refurbishment in order to tell the story of its former owners and residents. This rare and beautiful house is a surviving example of a family home built in the 13th century and then modernised in 1618. The house has been home to many families over its 700 year history, but the Digby family, which included the Gunpowder Plotter Sir Everard Digby, lived in the house for over two hundred years. It is towards the end of the Digby ownership that the newly refurbished house is focused, showing how people lived in late Elizabethan and early Jacobean times. Visitors can now see the beautifully restored period rooms and talk to our volunteers about the history of the house, the families that lived here and about life in the 1620s. The house is set in beautiful 17th century style gardens with labelled plants and flowers, an orchard, herb gardens and a maze. Visitors can also enjoy light refreshments in the tea room, where a range of merchandise is also available. The site will continue its lively series of events that use re-enactment, crafts, hands-on activities, drama and specialist demonstrations to interpret the history of the site and life at the time.