Byfleet Manor facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Byfleet Manor
Byfleet Manor in 2013
Location	Byfleet, Surrey
OS grid reference	TQ 07116 60280
Built	1685
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official name: Manor House and Manorside West
Designated	22 July 1953
Reference no.	1236613
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Byfleet Manor is a historic house in Byfleet, Surrey, England. It is a special building because it's listed as Grade II*. This means it's a very important historical site. The manor has been used as a filming location for several TV shows, most famously Downton Abbey.

History of Byfleet Manor

Byfleet Manor has a long and interesting history. It started as a royal hunting lodge. This was a place where kings and queens could stay when they went hunting.

Royal Connections

King Edward II gave the hunting lodge to Piers Gaveston. Later, Anne of Denmark, who was the wife of King James I, became the last royal owner. In 1617, she decided to build a new house on the site. She even kept horses sent by her brother, Christian IV, in the park. Anne spent a lot of money on the house, but she passed away before it was finished. You can still see the front walls and gate piers from her time today.

Changes Over Time

The house was rebuilt in 1685 because the old building was falling apart. The new house was much smaller than the one Anne of Denmark had started. In 1672, the lands were given to Lord Holles to hold for Queen Catherine of Braganza. She was the wife of Charles II of England.

For about a hundred years after this, there isn't much information about the manor. In 1811, an "Enclosure Award" was made. This meant that some common fields around the manor became private land.

The house stayed mostly the same until 1905. Then, it was restored and made bigger with new sections added. In February 2013, a secret room was discovered inside the house! Today, the owners sometimes let people rent the patios and front rooms for 1920s-themed tea parties.

Byfleet Manor as a Filming Location

Byfleet Manor is a popular spot for filming movies and TV shows. Its historic look makes it perfect for period dramas.

Some of the famous productions filmed here include:

• Downton Abbey
• Agatha Christie's Poirot: After the Funeral
• Cranford
• Into the Woods