Lyme

Kate Feld
Julie Anne Workman via Wikimedia Commons

After a Manchester day out? This grand country house ticks all the boxes.

Just a short drive from Manchester, Lyme is an Elizabethan stately home best recognised as Pemberley from the BBC’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice; home to the lake where Colin Firth re-enacted the first wet t-shirt competition of the Regency era.

The lush grounds and walled gardens are ideal for easygoing walks, while a trek up to the hillside hunting tower – called the Cage – rewards you with spectacular views of the estate (the Cage was occasionally used as a prison; imagine the heart-wrenching romance of staring out of those lonely windows, pining for your loved one).

The house itself is equally impressive, with a historic library, huge stone fireplaces and almost six hundred years’ worth of accumulated aristocratic knickknacks. The restaurant is rather nice, in a National Trust sort of a way, though we’d recommend you steer clear of the courtyard cafe. Its proximity to the Crow Wood adventure playground means that it is inevitably heaving with harassed-looking parents and their energetic charges which. Back in the house there is a sweet recreation of a children’s bedroom from the olden day – complete with wooden train set and working toys. It’s irresistible – just make sure you don’t elbow any children out of the way to get a look. 

DisleyStockportSK12 2NR View map
Telephone: 01663 762023 Visit Now

Admission Charges

Free to National Trust members; other prices vary

Children and Families

Outdoor playground, baby changing, children's menu

Commercial and Hire Services

Available for hire

Services and Facilities

Park, house, shop, coffee shop, exhibitions

Opening Hours

  • Monday8:00am - 6:00pm
  • Tuesday8:00am - 6:00pm
  • Wednesday8:00am - 6:00pm
  • Thursday8:00am - 6:00pm
  • Friday8:00am - 6:00pm
  • Saturday8:00am - 6:00pm
  • Sunday8:00am - 6:00pm

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

What's on near Lyme

Writer Nicholas Royle. Photo by Zoe McLean
LiteratureManchester
Ghosts at the Old Library

Levenshulme Old Library has commissioned brand-new festive ghost stories from six writers for three special atmospheric lantern-lit reading events after hours in the Carnegie building.

from £10
MusicManchester
The Smile at The Apollo

Radiohead side project The Smile have announced a second album and an accompanying tour, coming to The Apollo in March.

from £58.10
Until
ExhibitionsManchester
(Un)Defining Queer at The Whitworth

Through a fantastic collection of classical and contemporary artists’ work, ‘(Un)Defining Queer’ examines the use of language, histories and narratives to explore what ‘queer’ really means today. free entry

OUTDOOR ART CLUB AT THE WHITWORTH
Until
ChildrensManchester
Outdoor Art Club at The Whitworth

Enjoy fun and creative activities designed to encourage your little ones to play freely in the fresh air, while exploring nature and the outdoors with family and friends.

free entry
Until
ExhibitionsManchester
Traces of Displacement

See ‘Traces of Displacement’, the Whitworth’s major new exhibition which uses the gallery’s collection to explore the issue of forced displacement.

free entry

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