It was only when I stumbled upon an organisation called Invitation to View that I realised there were many privately owned properties in East Anglia that I would be able to visit.

Invitation to View is a scheme whereby the owners of 54 privately owned historic houses and gardens in East Anglia have joined together to work as a co-operative to open their properties to the public (adults only). The guides are usually the owners themselves.

My first visit took me to Layer Marney Tower, a 500 year old Tudor palace near Colchester in Essex. It boasts the tallest Tudor gatehouse in England, standing eight stories high. It was built for Henry, the 1st Lord Marney in 1520. His Lordship was Lord Privy Seal and one of the most powerful men in England and needed a magnificent home to reflect his high status. Unfortunately, he died in 1523 and the building became the responsibility of his son John, who only survived him by two years.


Layer Marney Tower

Layer Marney Tower was originally planned as an imposing brick-built square building around a central courtyard but instead only the first side was ever completed. If it had been built as planned it would have rivaled Cardinal Wolsey’s great palace of Hampton Court on the banks of the river Thames.

Today it is owned by Nick and Sheila Charrington having been bought by Nick’s parents in 1959. We were shown round by Sheila Charrington who concluded the tour by showing us the room used by King Henry VIII.

The wealth of information provided was impressive and, throughout the tour there was time for us to ask questions and to stop and take photographs. It was also made clear that we were welcome to remain on site and visit the rest of Layer Mayer Tower at our leisure. Visit www.layermarneytower.co.uk

My next Invitation to View property was Clifton House, a 14th century merchant’s house in the historic port town of Kings Lynn, Norfolk, now owned by Simon and Anna Thurley.

The couple met us and gave a brief introduction to the property before Anna led the group into the main house and down into the wine cellar, then further down into the vaults. It was a fascinating start to our tour as we progressed into the oldest part of the 14th century building. It was amazing to see how dry and warm these vaults were.


An example of a 'work in progress' room

Throughout the tour, Simon and Anna provided a huge amount of fascinating historical information about the merchant’s house. It was obvious that the restoration work to return this fine old building to its original splendour is a massive project. Many of the rooms represented ‘work in progress’ but that added to the appeal, because we were able to see the before and after. It was especially interesting to see the wonderful oak panelling emerging from beneath grey paint and some fantastic fireplaces that had been bricked up by previous owners.

An Elizabethan tower is a unique feature of this property. We climbed to the top and stood outside to take in the great views over Kings Lynn and the river Great Ouse. Our tour finished in the huge kitchen where refreshments were served. The kitchen also revealed one final surprise as Anna lifted a trapdoor in the false floor to reveal a perfectly preserved 13th century tiled floor beneath. Visit www.cliftonhouse.org.uk

For information about Invitation to View visit www.invitationtoview.co.uk