Suffolk’s Ickworth Estate welcomed record visitor numbers in 2023

The Italianate palace and 1,800-acre estate, located near Bury St Edmunds, saw 337,000 visitors in 2023, up by more than 40,000 on the previous year.

Adrian Shepherd, general manager of Ickworth Estate, said: “As a charity we rely on the support of our members and visitors coming through our doors. We’re incredibly grateful that so many people return to Ickworth again and again and support us in our work to care for this special place that is loved by so many.

“As visitor numbers continue to grow, we’re looking into way in which we can improve infrastructure and visitor experience for everyone who comes to Ickworth. Every single visit, Easter trail, bike hire or coffee bought goes towards helping us carry out essential conservation work and invest in this important place for future generations.”

A major £5m conservation project to reroof the Rotunda in 2021, the introduction of a cycle hire scheme, and a boost from Christmas experiences have all helped the National Trust site.

Abbi Lang, experience and visitor programming manager, said: “We’re always looking for new and exciting ways to share the fascinating stories from Ickworth and for visitors to enjoy spending time across the estate.

“The cycle hire has attracted many new visitors who haven’t been to Ickworth before and once they come, they realise how much more there is to explore. We’ve also been working hard to make Ickworth as dog friendly as possible with our dog friendly café and free dog training sessions.

“We see many regular visitors from the local area but we’re also seeing many more visitors from further afield, either on holiday or making the journey to see the impressive art and silver collections in the house.”

Ickworth Estate will also celebrate Easter with a nature-inspired trail, beginning Friday March 29.