Restored Elizabethan kitchen opens at Athelhampton
- Published
A 450-year-old kitchen hidden by a modern conversion has been fully restored at an Elizabethan manor.
The work was carried out in a previously private part of Athelhampton in Dorset, as part of a three-year restoration programme.
A modern interior was removed to reveal a massive brick arch over a fireplace, bread ovens and serving hatches.
Estate manager Owen Davies said the work on the kitchen "recognised its historical importance".
"It's fabulous - it really brings the house alive as a miniature Hampton Court here in Dorset," he explained.
The kitchen, dating from 1565, is thought to be one of the oldest in continuous use in the country.
The restoration carried out by local craftspeople included work on its Purbeck stone floor, as well as strengthening the structure.
The kitchen, officially opened by Dorset West MP Chris Loder, will now be seen by members of the public on tours of the house and will be used as an educational facility.
Athelhampton, near Dorchester, is one of England's finest Tudor manors, with a great hall dating back to 1485.
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- Published12 July 2021