Hatfield House, Park and Gardens
ENTRY
from £8.50
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Hatfield
What it’s like
Woodland walks, Renaissance gardens and a Tudor house to wander round, with free parking and a café to fall back on.
There's a proper choice of walks here, from a gentle 1.1 mile yellow route up to a 3.2 mile red one if you want to actually tire the legs out. The gardens are split into sections, West, East, Old Palace and Woodland, and it's worth knowing the East Garden only opens on Wednesdays, so that's one to plan around rather than stumble on by accident.
Inside the house you get the big rooms, the Marble Hall, the Long Gallery, the Library, which will hold older kids' attention for a while if they like a bit of history, though it's not somewhere a toddler will want to linger. The Old Palace Tour is a separate ticket at £8.50 and covers the older part of the site. On selected weekends there's face-painting and live music out in the Stable Yard, which is the bit to save for a return visit if you're not there on the right day.
Prices add up fast. Garden, Park and Woodland walks alone are £17 for an adult and £8.50 for a child, but if you want the house too it jumps to £27 and £13.50. A season ticket at £86 for an adult makes sense if you think you'll be back more than a couple of times a year. It's card only, no cash, so don't turn up expecting to pay with coins for an ice cream.
Parking's free and it's a five minute walk from Hatfield station if you're coming by train. Picnics are allowed in the park, and there's a café and restaurant in the Coach House Kitchen if you'd rather not carry sandwiches round all day. Last entry is 4pm, an hour before the house closes at 5, so don't roll up mid-afternoon expecting a full look round.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- No set age range, but older kids get more from the house and history
- Last entry
- 4pm, an hour before closing
- Parking
- Free parking on site
- Food
- Coach House Kitchen café and restaurant open year-round, plus independent shops with food offerings in Stable Yard
- Picnics
- Allowed in park (see FAQs for details)
- Wheelchairs
- Accessible routes throughout gardens
- Dogs
- Permitted in park only. Assistance dogs and well-behaved pets welcome at weddings
- Getting there by bus or train
- 5 minutes walk from Hatfield train station
- Card only across the whole site, no cash accepted anywhere
- East Garden opens Wednesdays only, so check the day if that's the one you want to see
- Last entry is 4pm even though the house doesn't close until 5
- Season tickets are £86 adult and £44 child if you fancy a few visits over the year
- Face-painting and live music pop up in the Stable Yard on selected weekends only
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
Garden, park and woodland walks are £17 for an adult and £8.50 for a child. Add the house and it's £27 and £13.50. The Old Palace Tour is a separate £8.50.
Do we need to book ahead?
There's no booking link listed, so it looks like you can just turn up during opening hours.
Is there parking?
Yes, free parking on site.
What are the opening hours?
The house is open Wednesday to Sunday and bank holidays, 10:30am to 5pm. Last entry is 4pm.
Can we bring a picnic?
Picnics are allowed in the park.
Is there somewhere to eat?
The Coach House Kitchen has a café and a restaurant, open year round, plus some food from the independent shops in the Stable Yard.
Can we pay by cash?
It's card or contactless only across the site.
Are dogs allowed?
Dogs are permitted in the park but not in the house or gardens.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
There are accessible routes through the gardens and a golf buggy on busy days, though only two wheelchairs are allowed on the first floor of the house at once for fire safety. The lift in the Old Palace has a weight limit of 32 stone.
Where are the toilets?
Toilets are only in the Stable Yard, not inside the house or once you're out in the wider grounds, so plan your stops before you head off round the gardens.
Is it open all year?
It closes for Good Friday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, and the gardens close for the season from 27 September.
How do we get there by train?
It's a five minute walk from Hatfield station, which is under 30 minutes from King's Cross.
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