Editing Sudbury Hall (section)

==History==
In 1086, following the [[Norman Conquest]], the [[Manorialism|manor]] of Sudbury was listed in the [[Domesday Book]].

The [[Vernon family]] came to Sudbury as a result of the 16th-century marriage of the Sudbury heiress Ellen Montgomery to Sir John Vernon (d.1545), a son of Sir [[Henry Vernon (died 1515)|Henry Vernon]] of [[Haddon Hall]] in [[Derbyshire]].<ref name="sudburyestate">{{cite web |title=The History of The Sudbury Estate {{!}} The Home Of Sudbury Hall and The Courtyard |url=https://sudburyestate.com/sudbury-estate-history.html |website=sudburyestate.com |access-date=26 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220528130258/https://sudburyestate.com/sudbury-estate-history.html |archive-date=28 May 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The present house at Sudbury was built shortly after the [[Stuart Restoration|restoration of King Charles II]], between 1660 and 1680 by George Vernon, grandfather of [[George Venables-Vernon, 1st Baron Vernon]].<ref name="sudburyestate" /> George Vernon used his new-found wealth from marrying Northamptonshire heiress Margaret Onley to build a grand new mansion on the site of a smaller house. He kept meticulous accounts of the building project, and because there is no record of any payment to an architect, historians surmise that George designed Sudbury Hall himself.<ref name="nt-history"/> George Vernon also established the Estate village close to the Hall to provide housing for his servants, labourers and tradesmen. The buildings in the village still survive intact today.<ref name="sudburyestate" />

Sudbury Hall was leased for three years from 1840 by Queen [[Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen|Adelaide]], the widow of [[William IV]]. The east wing was added by [[George Devey]] in 1876–83.<ref name="nhle">{{National Heritage List for England |num=1273995|desc=The Hall and attached stable block|accessdate=26 November 2012}}</ref> By the late 19th century, the extent of the Sudbury Estate stretched from [[Cubley, Derbyshire|Cubley]] down to [[Marchington]] in [[Staffordshire]].<ref name="sudburyestate" />

In 1916, [[George Venables-Vernon, 8th Baron Vernon]], died aged 26 in Malta from an illness contracted while in service as an officer in [[World War I]]. As a result, the Sudbury estate was subject to [[Inheritance Tax (United Kingdom)|Death duties]], the taxation which had been introduced in 1894 by the [[Liberal Government 1892–95|Liberal Government]].{{Sfn|Robinson|2014|p=28}}  As with many other large estates across Britain, this increased financial burden compelled [[Francis Venables-Vernon, 9th Baron Vernon]], to sell off tracts of land and some of the contents of Sudbury Hall. In the 1930s and 1940s, the 9th Lord was able to buy back some of this land to provide social housing in Sudbury village.<ref name="sudburyestate" />

During [[World War II]], a [[United States Army Air Forces]] hospital was based in Sudbury Park, close to [[RAF Sudbury]]. The land was purchased by the government in 1948 and converted into [[HM Prison Sudbury]], with a housing estate for prison officers.<ref name="sudburyestate" />

===National Trust===
Death duties continued to burden the Vernon family, and in 1967, Sudbury Hall and its principal contents along with part of the gardens and parkland, was transferred by John Venables-Vernon, 10th Baron Vernon via the [[National Land Fund]] to the [[National Trust]], in part payment of death duties. The remainder of the Sudbury Estate is still held by Vernon descendants.<ref name="nt-history">{{cite web |title=History of Sudbury Hall, Derbyshire |url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/peak-district-derbyshire/the-childrens-country-house-at-sudbury/history-of-sudbury-hall |website=National Trust |access-date=26 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826203503/https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/peak-district-derbyshire/the-childrens-country-house-at-sudbury/history-of-sudbury-hall|archive-date=26 August 2023 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="sudburyestate" />

In 2020 Sudbury Hall closed to the public for renovations, during which the National Trust consulted 100 child "ambassadors" to redesign the visitor experience for children. It reopened in October 2022, rebranded as ''The Children’s Country House at Sudbury'', equipped with a dressing up and dancing area, a mirror ball, a neon sign with the words "Party like it’s 1699", an [[escape room]] experience and humorous [[speech bubbles]] hung next to portraits.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Murray |first1=Jessica |title=Ropes come down as National Trust lets children roam free at Sudbury Hall |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/oct/21/national-trust-children-roam-free-sudbury-hall-country-house |website=The Guardian |access-date=26 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203093620/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/oct/21/national-trust-children-roam-free-sudbury-hall-country-house |archive-date=3 February 2023 |date=21 October 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>  The revised visitor experience has been criticised by the Vernon Family; Joanna FitzAlan Howard, daughter of the 10th Baron Vernon accused the National Trust of "[[dumbing down]]" by turning her ancestral home into "a child-centred theme park".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Beal |first1=James |title=Sudbury Hall turned into 'theme park' for children |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/c3c0c298-56e9-11ed-a03e-f7ac672386f7 |work=The Times |access-date=27 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230827185348/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/c3c0c298-56e9-11ed-a03e-f7ac672386f7 |archive-date=27 August 2023 |language=en |date=27 August 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> The National Trust have stated that the new experience offers "new ways for children to learn about the history of Sudbury Hall" and that the speech bubbles inform children about "hidden symbolism in historic portraits".<ref>{{cite news |title=Family's fury as Sudbury Hall turned into children's 'theme park' |url=https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/local-news/national-trust-criticised-turning-sudbury-7762426 |access-date=26 August 2023 |work=DerbyshireLive |date=30 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031192130/https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/local-news/national-trust-criticised-turning-sudbury-7762426 |archive-date=31 October 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Beale |first1=James |last2=Toms |first2=Adam |last3=Hodgkiss |first3=Samuel |title=Ancestors [sic] accuse National Trust of turning hall into children's 'theme park' |url=https://www.staffordshire-live.co.uk/news/local-news/ancestors-accuse-national-trust-turning-7775780 |website=StaffordshireLive |access-date=26 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221103080046/https://www.staffordshire-live.co.uk/news/local-news/ancestors-accuse-national-trust-turning-7775780 |archive-date=3 November 2022 |language=en |date=2 November 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> The changes have also been criticised by the pressure group [[Restore Trust]] for discouraging adult visitors unaccompanied by children, and for removing the house contents to make way for "fun active games and activities".<ref>{{cite web |title=The new 'mansion experience' is coming to Sudbury Hall |url=https://www.restoretrust.org.uk/restore-trust-issues/the-new-mansion-experience-is-coming-to-sudbury-hall |website=Restore Trust |access-date=26 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221125232750/https://www.restoretrust.org.uk/restore-trust-issues/the-new-mansion-experience-is-coming-to-sudbury-hall |archive-date=25 November 2022}}</ref> In May 2023 the Children’s Country House at Sudbury was awarded Permanent Exhibition of the Year at the Museum and Heritage Awards 2023. Judges expressed the view that the redesign of Sudbury Hall offered a "participatory and imaginative new bold approach to interpreting historic houses and heritage".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Castle |first1=Richard |last2=Butterfield |first2=Gareth |title=Revamped National Trust museum that came under fire wins major award |url=https://www.staffordshire-live.co.uk/news/local-news/revamped-national-trust-museum-came-8448010 |access-date=27 August 2023 |work=burtonmail |date=17 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230521050602/https://www.staffordshire-live.co.uk/news/local-news/revamped-national-trust-museum-came-8448010 |archive-date=21 May 2023 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Permanent Exhibition of the Year – Museums + Heritage Awards |url=https://awards.museumsandheritage.com/awards/2023-winners/permanent-exhibition-23/ |access-date=27 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603115312/https://awards.museumsandheritage.com/awards/2023-winners/permanent-exhibition-23/ |archive-date=3 June 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>