Polesden Lacey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Polesden Lacey |
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
East facade
|
|
| Type | Country house |
| Location | Great Bookham |
| Area | Surrey |
| Built | 1824 |
| Architect |
|
| Architectural style(s) | Regency |
| Owner | National Trust |
|
Listed Building – Grade II*
|
|
| Official name: Polesden Lacey | |
| Designated | 7 September 1951 |
| Reference no. | 1028665 |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
Polesden Lacey is a beautiful country house and large estate in Surrey, England. It is located on the North Downs near Great Bookham. This historic place is owned and managed by the National Trust, a charity that looks after special places in the UK. It is one of their most visited properties.
The main house you see today was built in the Regency style. It was greatly changed and made bigger in 1906 by Margaret Greville. She was a very famous hostess during the Edwardian era, known for her amazing parties. Inside the house, you can still see her wonderful collection of paintings, furniture, and silver. These items are displayed just as they were when she hosted her famous guests.
A very special event happened here in 1923. The future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (who was then the Duchess of York) spent part of their honeymoon at Polesden Lacey. The estate itself is huge, covering about 1400 acres. It features a lovely walled rose garden, wide lawns, old woodlands, and scenic walking paths.
Contents
Polesden Lacey: A Look at Its Past
The name 'Polesden' is believed to come from Old English. The very first house on this site was built a long time ago, by the year 1336. Later, in 1630, a man named Anthony Rous bought the estate. He decided to rebuild the medieval house that was there. The Rous family owned Polesden Lacey until 1723.
In 1723, Arthur Moore, an economist and politician, bought the estate. During his time, an eight-sided building was added to the south side of the house. In 1747, Sir Francis Geary, 1st Baronet purchased Polesden Lacey. He lived there after he retired.
The famous poet and playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan moved to Polesden Lacey in 1797. He tried to improve the building, but his efforts didn't quite work out. In 1818, Joseph Bonsor, a stationer, bought the estate. He hired a well-known builder, Thomas Cubitt, to construct a completely new house between 1821 and 1823. This new house forms the main part of Polesden Lacey that we see today.
Polesden Lacey in the Early 1900s
In 1902, Sir Clinton Edward Dawkins, a government official, bought the Polesden Lacey estate. He asked architect Ambrose Poynter to make Cubitt's house much larger. This created the grand house we see today. Sadly, Sir Clinton died in 1905, shortly after the building work was finished.
The estate was then bought in 1906 by William McEwan. He bought it for his daughter, Margaret Greville. Margaret and her husband, Ronald Greville, hired famous architects Charles Mewès and Arthur Davis. These architects were also known for designing The Ritz Hotel, London. They remodelled the house for the Grevilles. The couple filled their new home with beautiful furniture, delicate porcelain, shining silver, and amazing artworks.
Sadly, Ronald Greville passed away in 1908, just two years after they moved into Polesden Lacey. He was only 46 years old. Margaret continued to host many lavish parties at the house. She also had a home in London where she held expensive gatherings. Over the next 30 years, she became very famous as an Edwardian society hostess.
A Royal Honeymoon at Polesden Lacey in 1923
In 1923, Margaret Greville invited the Duke and Duchess of York to stay at Polesden Lacey for their honeymoon. The royal couple spent two weeks there. Just before they arrived, a magazine called The Illustrated London News took many pictures of the house. They published a big article about the honeymoon location.
Polesden Lacey: Owned by the National Trust (1942 – Present)
Margaret Greville left Polesden Lacey to the National Trust in 1942. She did this in memory of her father, William McEwan, who was a brewer. She was his only child and heir. Her gift included about 1000 acres of land. It also included many paintings and pieces of furniture. She hoped these would form the start of a future art gallery. Her valuable jewellery collection was given to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
The National Trust first opened the house to visitors in 1948. In August 1960, a fire damaged about half of the roof. Some ceilings on the ground floor were also damaged by water as firefighters put out the blaze. Luckily, the valuable art and furniture were saved by the estate workers. The repairs cost about £65,000, which was covered by insurance. The house reopened to the public on June 9, 1962.
In 1995, the National Trust started a big project to restore and renovate Polesden Lacey. In 2008 and 2009, the visitor areas were updated. This included a new car park, a cafe, a shop, and a farm shop. Not all parts of the house are open to the public, such as many bedrooms and servants' areas. From the 1970s until 2015, some of these closed rooms were used as offices. There is hope that more rooms will be restored and opened for visitors in the future. This process began in March 2011, when Mrs. Greville's private apartment was opened.
Polesden Lacey welcomed over 287,000 visitors in 2020 and 2021. This makes it one of the National Trust's top ten most-visited properties.
Exploring the Polesden Lacey Estate
There are many lovely walks to enjoy around the Polesden Lacey estate. You can especially explore the valley that the main house overlooks. The estate also includes a Youth Hostel called Tanners Hatch.
Polesden Lacey has outdoor spaces for performances. These are used during the summer for different music and theatre events. In 2009, the Polesden Lacey Festival was held here. In 2016, a campsite was opened on the estate, offering another way for people to enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
