Greys Court facts for kids
Greys Court is a beautiful Tudor country house and gardens. It is located in the southern Chiltern Hills near Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, England. Today, the National Trust owns Greys Court. It is open for everyone to visit and explore.
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Discover Greys Court
Greys Court was first mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. Back then, it was called Redrefield. It was the main home of a Norman knight named Anchetil de Greye. He was an ancestor of the famous Grey family.
The house itself is mostly in the Tudor style. It has a lovely courtyard and beautiful gardens to explore. The walled gardens are full of old-fashioned roses and wisteria flowers. You can also find a special vegetable garden and a fun maze. This maze is made of grass with brick paths. There is also an old ice house on the grounds.
Outside, you can see a fortified tower built around 1347. This tower is the only part left of the old medieval castle. It offers great views of the gardens and the countryside. There is also a Tudor wheelhouse nearby.
Inside, Greys Court still feels like a family home. It has amazing plasterwork from the 1700s. The house is considered a very important historic building, known as a Grade I listed building.
History of Greys Court
John de Grey, 1st Baron Grey de Rotherfield was an important knight. In 1346, he was given permission to add defenses to his house. This meant he could build things like battlements. Around 1347, he made the buildings much bigger and added a castle.
In 1485, the estate became property of the Crown. Then, in 1514, it was given to Robert Knollys. He paid a small rent of just one red rose each year! The Knollys family owned Greys Court until 1642. During their time, they built the house and other buildings you see today.
Sir William Paul bought the house in 1686. Later, his son William's daughter married Sir William Stapleton, 4th Baronet in 1724. Greys Court became part of her dowry.
From 1935 to 1937, Evelyn Fleming lived in the house. She was the mother of the famous author Ian Fleming, who wrote the James Bond books.
In 1937, Sir Felix Brunner and his wife, Lady Brunner, bought Greys Court from the Stapleton family. Lady Brunner was the granddaughter of a famous Victorian actor, Sir Henry Irving. In 1969, the Brunner family generously gave the property to the National Trust. Lady Brunner continued to live there until she passed away in 2003.
Filming Location
Greys Court is so beautiful that it has been used as a filming location for many TV shows. You might have seen it in Downton Abbey, Agatha Christie's Poirot, and Midsomer Murders.
See also
- House of Grey
- Castles in Great Britain and Ireland
- Nuffield Place, a nearby National Trust property
