There’s been a building on the site of Hardwicke Court since medieval times, but the house you see now was built around 1816. Thomas Lloyd-Baker and his wife, Mary, were the first generation of Lloyd-Bakers to live in the house, which was designed by Sir Robert Smirke. Mary was the niece and heiress of Granville Sharp, the British abolitionist, and his bust has pride of place in the house. Several possessions of his are still kept at the house, too. One of the family members will give you a guided tour of several rooms at Hardwicke, including the drawing room and library. These rooms are still in use today but they’ve got a lot of their original art and furniture . Afterwards you can wander in the gardens and see the ornamental canal, which is where the original medieval house is thought to have been built.