Built / Designed For: Strickland family

House & Family History: The original 14th century castle, built for the Stricklands, an ancient Norman family, was converted, over a period of two hundred years, from a castle to a fortified manor house. The Strickland family gave Sizergh to the National Trust in 1950, though they continue to make the castle their seat today. The famous Inlaid Chamber, a principal tower bedroom created between 1573 and 1582, was was sold to the South Kensington Museum (today the Victoria & Albert Museum) in 1891; five years later the museum acquired four heraldic stained glass roundels and a walnut bed with the Strickland arms from the Inlaid Chamber. All of this was put together in London as the V&A's first period room. After a decades-long lobbying effort by the Strickland family and the National Trust, the paneling and stained glass returned to Sizergh in 1999 on long term loan from the V&A. William Waldorf Astor's Drawing Room at Hever Castle, created in the early 20th century, was modeled on the Inlaid Chamber. Sizergh also contains some of the finest Elizabethan carved overmantels in England.

John Bernard (J.B.) Burke, published under the title of A Visitation of the Seats and Arms of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland, among other titles: Vol. I, p. 162, 1852.

John Preston (J.P.) Neale, published under the title of Views of the Seats of Noblemen and Gentlemen in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, among other titles: 2.S. Vol. I, 1824.

Country Life: XIX, 942, 1906. LX, 653 [Furniture], 1926. CVI, 1216, 1949.

House Listed: Grade I

Park Listed: Grade II

Current Seat / Home of: Strickland family; here for over 750 years.

Current Ownership Type: The National Trust

Primary Current Ownership Use: Visitor Attraction

House Open to Public: Yes

Phone: 01539-560-070

Fax: 01539-560-951

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Historic Houses Member: No