Historic Houses in Surrey
30th September 2008
Hampton Court Palace was built in 1514 by Cardinal Wolsey, Archbishop of York and chief minister to Henry VIII. The splendid Tudor buildings originally included apartments for use by King Henry, Catherine of Aragon and Princess Mary and the palace was opened to the public by Queen Victoria. The building is so vast that six separate routes are in place, each covering a different theme. Set in 60 acres of beautiful gardens well known for their Pond Garden, Fountain Garden, Victorian Garden and famous Maze, other features worth viewing include the Great Vine, the oldest and largest grapevine in the world, thought to have been planted by Capability Brown in 1768; Henry VIII great astronomical clock in the Clock Courtyard and the enclosed Royal Tennis Court.
Three miles east of Guildford is Clandon Park, built around 1730 in the Palladian style by the Venetian architect Giacomo Leoni for the 2nd Baron Onslow. It was constructed of red brick with the west front faced in stone. The interior has survived practically intact and large collections of porcelain, furniture and needlework can be admired as well as the museum of the Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment. A Maori House brought over from New Zealand in 1892 can be found in the seven acres of garden. Clandon Park was given to the National Trust in 1956 by the Countess of Iveagh, daughter of the 4th Earl of Onslow.
Polesden Lacey is a large, but unpretentious house built in 1824 by Joseph Bonsor and is situated 3 miles north-west of Dorking. The Hon. Ronald Greville and his wife acquired the house in 1906 and George VI and Queen Elizabeth spent part of their honeymoon there. There are a variety of styles in the different rooms and an interesting collection of furniture, china and paintings. Rose gardens and immaculate lawns are fantastic for walking, but close at dusk.
Other historic homes that shouldn't be missed are Hatchlands with the world's largest collection of early keyboard instruments and Loseley Park, a beautiful Elizabethan mansion built in 1562 and featuring a wealth of treasures including a Great Hall, library, paintings, gardens, parkland and much more.