The Dolls’ House Collection at Hoghton Tower
Our dolls’ houses collection has been gathered and lovingly restored over the years from a variety of sources.
It comprises over 60 original works from the 19th and 20th Century and provides an incredible insight, in miniature, into the lives of ancestors both rich and poor.
Adored by young and old alike, the dolls’ houses can be viewed on special house tours.
The Dolls’ Houses Collection at Hoghton Tower
The collection on display here has been built up over several years. The original basis of the collection was started by Margaret King and John Kim who meticulously restored a large number of the dolls houses, which you will see on the tour. Later, their enthusiasm passed on to the late Philomena, Lady de Hoghton, who got involved with the creation of two themed dolls houses. Since the initial collection was formed further donations have been received over the years and the current collection has been carefully arranged by the present Lady de Hoghton.
Peep Show House
Peep Show House (1830). This is one of the oldest houses in the collection. It was never meant to be played with or even opened. The house is entirely sealed and you can only gaze through the windows and doors to see the wonderfully painted interior
Proctors House
Lady Rosanna says her personal favourite is a large, eight-roomed house known as Proctors House (above). This was built almost 60 years ago by a local man who wanted to make an exact replica of the house that he had lived in as a child. The house and furniture took him more than five years to build.
Proctors House is unusual in that it opens both at the front and back.
The Mansion
The Mansion is a replica of an 18th century baby house.
All the furnishings were handmade by John Kim.