At the moment I wish to deliver you my information to taking a day journey to Polesden Lacey from London. This Edwardian home and property in Surrey was the house of Margaret Greville, a British socialite who entertained everybody from celebrities to royalty within the early twentieth century. Spending a day right here will can help you see her nation retreat and surrounding gardens as you observe within the footsteps of kings and queens.
Day Journey to Polesden Lacey
Polesden Lacey is a simple day journey from London. The house was a celebration home for Margaret, who labored her approach up from an illegitimate beginning to a confidante of kings and queens. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth even got here right here on their honeymoon.
Polesden Lacey was bought by Margaret’s rich father, William McEwan, in 1906. He purchased it for his daughter, who married the Hon. Ronald Greville, one of many closest mates of the longer term King Edward VII.
After her husband’s demise in 1908, she used it as a weekend retreat for entertaining rich and elite company together with Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin, Queen Ena of Spain, and generations of British monarchs.
A lover of every thing from wonderful jewels to witty dialog and splendid structure, Margaret made her mark on each her social circle and the English countryside.
When she died in 1942, she left the home to the Nationwide Belief and bequeathed her jewels to Queen Elizabeth. Many feminine royals nonetheless put on her earrings, necklaces, and tiaras at this time.
Now Margaret Greville’s residence at Polesden Lacey is a museum with lovely gardens and 1,600 acres (647 hectares) of grounds within the Surrey Hills.
Guests come from throughout to see the opulent rooms the place one of many best society hostesses of the age entertained company.
Additionally they go to to stroll via the walled gardens and alongside the paths within the woods. Many deliver canines, so preserve an eye fixed out for cute pups!
The best way to Get to Polesden Lacey from London
For those who’re questioning methods to get to Polesden Lacey from London, you’ll be able to simply attain it by automotive or practice.
Polesden Lacey is positioned 25 miles (40 kilometers) from the UK capital in Nice Bookham close to Dorking, Surrey. It’s so near town you’ll be able to even make it a half-day journey from London or add a late pub lunch to your itinerary.
For those who drive, the property is round 1 hour and quarter-hour away, relying the place in London you depart from and what visitors is like alongside the way in which. There’s a small charge for on-site parking.
For those who take the practice, Polesden Lacey is round an hour’s journey from London. The property is positioned 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) from Dorking and Leatherhead stations, that are every a 40 to 60-minute practice trip from the UK capital.
There are taxi ranks at each stations the place you’ll be able to proceed your journey to the property.
Polesden Lacey Tickets
One other good factor about taking a day journey to Polesden Lacey is that there’s no have to pre-book tickets prematurely. You’ll be able to simply present up and purchase them on the entrance desk once you arrive.
Higher but, it’s a Nationwide Belief property so you’ll be able to go without spending a dime if you happen to’re a member. Membership grants free entry to all properties in Britain for a yr, and you may get it right here.
A buddy and I’ve bought our tickets on arrival, and now we’re excited to delve into this historic world of dreamy gardens and regal leisure.
Polesden Lacey Tour
After shopping for our entry tickets, we cease on the cafe within the Steady Courtyard for a fast chew. Along with the espresso store by the parking space, it’s a very good place to get foods and drinks right here.
Our appetites sated, we begin our tour of Polesden Lacey. We stroll underneath a tall brick water tower and observe a giant map on the opposite aspect to get to the home in the course of the grounds.
The Edwardian Home
As we stroll as much as the house, we take within the facade and the clock tower on prime.
As soon as inside we uncover rooms stuffed with wonderful artwork and spectacular decor. Margaret Greville needed this place to be match for entertaining the perfect of society, and she or he succeeded.
She even had the interiors transformed by architects Mewes and Davis, who had simply refurbished The Ritz in London when she employed them.
The result’s inspiring. From rooms with ornate gilding to Italian maiolica pottery, books, wonderful French furnishings, jeweled animals by Cartier, and the biggest group of Faberge objects within the Nationwide Belief, it’s simple to see why kings and queens felt at residence right here.
As we go from the eating room to Margaret’s examine and the library, we soak up partitions hung with work by well-known British artists like Allan Ramsay and Henry Raeburn. They’re punctuated by works by Dutch Masters and different spectacular names.
The piece de resistance is the Saloon. It was designed to impress maharajahs, and it definitely wows us. There’s gilding all over the place, and the carvings, panels, and mirrors are opulent. There’s even somebody taking part in the piano whereas we’re right here.
There are guided excursions guests can take of the home, however we’re glad listening to from the useful volunteers in every room. They inform us tales about Margaret’s wit and character, in addition to the decor and historical past of the home.
Polesden Lacey Gardens
Leaving the house, we move by the Backyard Room second-hand bookshop as we stroll out to discover the grounds.
There’s a formidable array of areas to walk via, from walled gardens to orchards, herbaceous borders, and hen hides. There’s even a small pet cemetery and a Kestrel Nook play space.
As we make our approach across the property, we soak up views of Ranmore Frequent and rolling parkland. The panorama right here is claimed to be practically unchanged since medieval occasions, and it’s lovely to see.
We cross over footbridges and stroll down stone staircases, paying homage at Margaret’s grave within the Girls Backyard and watching folks play croquet on the garden.
We finish our go to with a loop across the Protect Copse, the place we see the tall bushes on Admiral’s Stroll and the picnic tables by New Lime Stroll. Finally we move by the Blossom Garden and Walnut Garden as we work our approach again to the Steady Courtyard.
Earlier than we get to the exit, we are able to’t assist popping into the present store. It has a variety of native merchandise, books, crops, clothes, and backyard equipment on the market. It’s a enjoyable place to choose up souvenirs earlier than we hop within the automotive to drive again to London.
How A lot Time To Spend at Polesden Lacey
In all, we’ve spent 3 hours right here. We might have spent longer if we’d explored each inch of the grounds or taken time to take a seat within the chairs on the South Garden and absorb the views of the Surrey Hills.
However we’re hungry and lunch awaits at a close-by nation pub referred to as The Previous Plow in Stoke D’Abernon. A 15-minute drive from Polesden Lacey, it has nice historic-meets-contemporary decor.
It’s the perfect spot to tuck into heaping plates of fish and chips and monkfish curry after a giant morning of exploring Polesden Lacey.
Day Journey to Polesden Lacey from London
After lunch we get again in my buddy’s automotive for the drive again to London, watching because the countryside surroundings transitions into an city panorama as we go.
We’ve loved our Polesden Lacey day journey from London, and we’ve been impressed to study extra about its charismatic former proprietor.
A lot in order that my buddy has already purchased a e-book referred to as The Maggie Greville Story by Pam Burbidge. I can’t wait to borrow it when she’s performed. If you wish to learn it, you’ll be able to get it right here.
I hope you’ve loved listening to about our go to and that it’s impressed you to go to this spectacular home your self. It’s a enjoyable time out from London, and a fantastic place to get into each historical past and nature.
For those who’re considering extra journeys like this, you’ll be able to check out my weblog put up about the perfect stately houses close to London. It has plenty of different homes you’ll be able to go to close to the UK capital.
Discover this put up useful? Purchase me a espresso!
New right here? Be part of 1000’s of others and subscribe to the A Girl in London weblog through e mail.
A number of the hyperlinks on this weblog put up are affiliate hyperlinks. For free of charge to you, I earn a small fee once you click on on them and make a purchase order. It doesn’t have an effect on the way in which you store, and it’s an effective way to assist the A Girl in London weblog.
Pin it!