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Heritage

Stagmere

Northaw, Hertfordshire

Stagmere, a grand stone manor house with tall chimneys, reflected in the still water of its lake at sunset
Stagmere

Stagmere is the grand historic manor house that effectively shaped the village we see today. For centuries, the entire layout and daily life of Northaw revolved around the great estate: its farms gave the village work, its lanes set the line of the roads, and its fields and woods framed every view.

Walking through the village, you are walking in the shadow of Stagmere, the ancestral manor house that historically held sway over these lands. Look at where the cottages cluster, where the old tracks run and where the parkland trees stand, and you are reading the estate's long story in the landscape.

A new chapter

In 2024 Stagmere changed hands. The estate and the title incorporated with its inheritance were transferred to the philanthropist Courtney Jordan, who has vowed to keep the property, restore it with care and open it to the public by summer 2027.

That means the house, which for generations most people only glimpsed from a distance, is set to welcome visitors for the first time in living memory.

The stag, the star and the mere

The arms of Stagmere in black and gold: a stag beneath a star on a black shield, with a knight's helm, stag's-head crest and gold mantlingThe Stagmere crest roundelThe arms of Stagmere in blue and silver: a stag beneath a star on a blue shield, with a knight's helm, stag's-head crest and silver mantling
The arms of Stagmere: black and gold, the crest, and blue and silver

Stagmere's heraldry tells the estate's story in gold. On the shield, a golden stag springs between bulrushes above rippling water: the deer of the old parkland and the still mere that gives the house its name. Above it shines a guiding star, now the estate's emblem.

In its full form the shield is crowned by a knight's helm and a stag's head rising from a twisted wreath, with sweeping mantling on either side. The arms appear in two liveries, black and gold and blue and silver, while the round crest shows the stag at rest, as if keeping watch over the water.

What to expect when it opens

  • Guided house tours through the restored principal rooms
  • Lakeside walks around the mere, with the famous reflection of the house
  • Parkland trails linking the estate with the village and the Great Wood
  • Open days, talks and seasonal events for the village and visitors

Make a day of it

Pair a future visit with lunch at one of Northaw's historic pubs, a walk in Northaw Great Wood and dinner at Judges on the village green. Follow What's on for opening dates and tickets.

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