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Hatfield House, the seat of the marquesses of Salisbury, has been owned by the Gascoyne-Cecil family since the early 17th century. The magnificent Jacobean house was built for King James I's chief minister, Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, between 1607 and 1612. The house is surrounded by delightful gardens, covering an area of some 42 acres; these were originally laid out by John Tradescant the Elder during the 17th century. The adjoining Hatfield Estate, said to be the largest private one in Hertfordshire, runs to around 8,500 acres, according to some estimates.