I made a flying visit to Nostell Priory on the way back home from Sheffield with the aim of seeing the Doll’s House that I had been told about by the guides at Hoghton Tower. God willing we both visit the Priory one day for a better look at the house and grounds.

I did also have a good chat with the guides in the Library about their work in going through the books to check their condition. They told me that there were 9,000 books at Nostell, though not all are on display. They mentioned some of the uncut pages in books (we used to have ones like that in the Library at Dean Wace House when I was at Church Society) and notes and scribbles, which prompted discussion about why some people write in books whilst others (CS Lewis included) are horrified by the practice.

See the separate page for the Doll’s House.

Visited 22 July 2025