Sandringham House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sandringham House |
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"The most comfortable house in England"
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| Type | Country house |
| Location | Near Sandringham, Norfolk, England |
| Built | 1870–1892 |
| Built for | Albert Edward, Prince of Wales |
| Architect | A. J. Humbert Robert William Edis |
| Architectural style(s) | Jacobethan |
| Owner | Charles III (personally) |
| Official name: Sandringham House | |
| Type | Grade II* |
| Designated | 18 September 1987 |
| Reference no. | 1001017 |
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Sandringham House is a large country home in Sandringham, Norfolk, England. It is one of the royal residences owned by Charles III. Both his grandfather, George VI, and great-grandfather, George V, passed away at Sandringham.
The house sits on a huge 20,000-acre estate. This area is part of the beautiful Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Sandringham House is a Grade II* historic building. Its gardens, park, and woodlands are also protected on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
The land where Sandringham House stands has been used since the Elizabethan era. A large manor house was built here first. In 1771, a new Georgian mansion replaced it. This was built for the Hoste Henley family, who owned the land. In 1836, a London merchant named John Motteux bought Sandringham. He owned other properties in Norfolk and Surrey. Motteux had no children, so when he died in 1843, he left everything to Charles Spencer Cowper. Cowper was the son of Motteux's close friend, Emily Temple, Viscountess Palmerston. Cowper sold the other estates and started rebuilding at Sandringham. He lived a very fancy life. By the early 1860s, he had borrowed a lot of money using the estate as security. He and his wife spent most of their time in Europe.
In 1862, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VII, bought Sandringham. He paid £220,000 for the house and nearly 8,000 acres of land. He bought it as a country home for himself and his future wife, Princess Alexandra of Denmark. Between 1870 and 1900, the house was almost completely rebuilt. It was done in a style called "frenetic Jacobean". Albert Edward also improved the estate. He made it one of the best places for shooting in England.
After Edward VII died in 1910, his son, George V, inherited the estate. George V loved the house very much. He called it "dear old Sandringham, the place I love better than anywhere else in the world". The first Christmas broadcast was made from Sandringham in 1932. George V died at the house on January 20, 1936.
The estate then went to his son Edward VIII. When Edward VIII gave up the throne, Sandringham was bought by his brother, George VI. This was because Sandringham is the monarch's private property. George VI loved the house as much as his father. He wrote to his mother, Queen Mary, "I have always been so happy here and I love the place". He died at Sandringham on February 6, 1952.
After King George VI's death, Sandringham passed to his daughter, Elizabeth II. The Queen spent about two months each winter at Sandringham. This included the anniversary of her father's death and her own Accession Day in early February. In 1957, she gave her first televised Christmas message from Sandringham. In the 1960s, there were plans to knock down the house and build a new, modern one. However, these plans were not carried out. In 1977, for her Silver Jubilee, the Queen opened the house and grounds to the public for the first time.
Unlike royal palaces like Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle, Sandringham is owned personally by the monarch. Balmoral Castle in Scotland is also privately owned. In 2022, after the Queen's death, Sandringham passed to her son and heir, Charles III.
Contents
History of Sandringham House
Early Days
Sandringham is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. It was called "sant-Dersingham," meaning "the sandy part of Dersingham." After the Norman Conquest, the land was given to a Norman knight. In the 15th century, Anthony Woodville, Lord Scales owned it.
During the Elizabethan era, a manor house was built where the current house stands. By the 1700s, the Hoste Henley family owned it. In 1771, Cornish Henley built a new Georgian mansion called Sandringham Hall. In 1834, Henry Hoste Henley died without children. The estate was then bought by John Motteux, a London merchant. Motteux also had no heirs. He left Sandringham to Charles Spencer Cowper in 1843. Cowper was a diplomat living in Paris. He sold his other properties and moved to Sandringham. He added to the hall, hiring Samuel Sanders Teulon to build a fancy porch and conservatory.
Cowper lived a very expensive life. He and his wife spent much time in Europe. Within 10 years, they had borrowed a lot of money using the estate as security. Their only child died in 1854. This made the couple spend even more time abroad. By the early 1860s, Cowper wanted to sell the estate.
Edward VII's Time
In 1861, Albert Edward, Queen Victoria's oldest son, was almost 20. His parents wanted him to settle down. His father, Prince Albert, thought marriage and a country home would help. Prince Albert had his staff look at 18 possible estates. Sandringham Hall was on the list. The Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston, recommended it. Prince Albert died in December 1861, but Queen Victoria wanted his plans to be followed.
Edward visited in February 1862. They agreed to buy the house and nearly 8,000 acres of land. The sale was completed in October. Queen Victoria only visited the house twice. Over the next 40 years, Edward spent a lot of money. He created a house and estate that his friend called "the most comfortable in England."
The price paid for Sandringham, £220,000, was high. However, the house was soon too small for the Prince of Wales and his many guests. In 1865, Edward hired A. J. Humbert to rebuild the original hall. Humbert was an architect liked by the royal family. He had worked for Queen Victoria before. The new red-brick house was finished by late 1870. Only the conservatory from the old house was kept. Edward turned this room into a billiard room. A plaque in the entrance hall says the house was built by Albert Edward and Alexandra in 1870. The main entrance led straight into the living room, which was not very practical. The house had living and sleeping areas on three floors. The Norfolk countryside reminded Alexandra of her home in Denmark.
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Within 10 years, the house was again too small. In 1883, a new part, the Bachelors' Wing, was built. This was designed by a Norfolk architect, Colonel R. W. Edis. Edis also built a new billiard room. He turned the old conservatory into a bowling alley. Edward had seen a bowling alley he liked at Trentham Hall. In 1891, a serious fire broke out. Edis was called back to rebuild and add more. He tried to make the new parts match Humbert's original house. He used the same Jacobethan style and matching bricks.
The house had modern features. The kitchens and lights used gas from the estate's own plant. Water came from the Appleton Water Tower. This tower was built at the highest point on the estate. Edward's work as a country gentleman was praised. A newspaper said he set a good example as a landlord and farmer.
The royal couple also improved the wider estate. They created beautiful gardens. Over 100 gardeners worked there at one point. Many estate buildings were built. These included cottages for staff, kennels, a school, and a staff clubhouse. Edward also made Sandringham one of the best places for shooting. To have more daylight for shooting, he started "Sandringham Time." All clocks on the estate were set half an hour ahead of GMT. This tradition lasted until 1936. Edward's parties were famous. Many game birds were shot, especially pheasants and partridges. The game larder, for storing the birds, was the largest in Europe.
Guests usually arrived at Wolferton railway station, 2.5 miles from the house. Royal trains ran from St Pancras Station to King's Lynn and then to Wolferton. The station served the house from 1862 until it closed in 1969. After that, the Queen and guests traveled by car from King's Lynn. Edward VII started the Sandringham stud (horse breeding farm) in 1897. He had great success with racehorses like Persimmon and Diamond Jubilee. His son and grandsons were not as interested in horses, but the stud continued. His great-granddaughter, Elizabeth II, bred several winners there.
On January 14, 1892, Edward's oldest son, Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, died at the house. He is remembered in the clock tower.
George V's Time
Edward VII left his wife, Queen Alexandra, money and the right to live at Sandringham. Queen Alexandra continued to live in the "big house." This meant George V, his wife Queen Mary, and their growing family stayed at York Cottage. It was a bit "cramped." The King did not want his mother to move out. He said, "It is my mother's house, my father built it for her." The King also liked to keep things simple. The small rooms at York Cottage reminded him of cabins on his naval ships.
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The new King loved shooting and stamp collecting. He was known as one of the best shots in England. His collections of shotguns and stamps were among the best in the world. George V was traditional. He wanted to keep the Sandringham traditions his father started. Life at York Cottage gave him a break from his royal duties.
The First World War caused even bigger changes. Many of his relatives were involved, including the German and Russian Emperors. Both had been guests at Sandringham. The Sandringham estate and village suffered a great loss. Almost all the King's Own Sandringham Company soldiers died at Suvla Bay. This was during the Gallipoli Campaign. A memorial was built on the estate for those who died. Names of those killed in the Second World War were added later.
After Queen Alexandra's death in 1925, the King and his family moved to the main house. In 1932, George V gave the first royal Christmas message from a studio at Sandringham. The speech, written by Rudyard Kipling, began, "I speak now from my home and from my heart to you all." George V died in his bedroom at Sandringham on January 20, 1936. His body was moved to St Mary Magdalene's Church. Two days later, his body was taken by train from Wolferton to London.
Edward VIII's Time
On the night his father died, Edward VIII ordered that the clocks at Sandringham be set back to Greenwich Mean Time. This ended the "Sandringham Time" tradition. Edward had rarely enjoyed visiting Sandringham. He found it "dull and boring." He described evenings as "sordidly dull and boring."
Edward was worried about the cost of running his father's private homes. He called Sandringham a "voracious white elephant" (something expensive but useless). He asked his brother, the Duke of York, to review the estate's management. The review suggested big cuts. This caused anger among staff who were let go. After his father's death, Edward spent only one more night at the house as king. He brought Wallis Simpson for a shooting party in October 1936. He never returned to Sandringham. When he gave up the throne, his brother, George VI, had to buy Sandringham and Balmoral Castle.
George VI's Time
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George VI was born at Sandringham on December 14, 1895. He loved country activities. He was as devoted to the estate as his father. He wrote to his mother, Queen Mary, "I have always been so happy here." The house was closed during the war. The family stayed in nearby cottages during visits. After the war, the King improved the gardens. In December 1945, Christmas was celebrated at the house for the first time since 1938.
George VI died at Sandringham on February 6, 1952. He had been out shooting the day before. He was found in his bedroom the next morning. His body was placed in the Church of St Mary Magdalene. Then, it was taken to Wolferton Station and transported to London.
Elizabeth II's Time
Like her father, Elizabeth II owned Sandringham privately. It was one of her two personal homes. The other was Balmoral Castle. After her father's death, Queen Elizabeth II would spend the anniversary of his passing and her own Accession Day privately at Sandringham. She also used it as her official base from Christmas until February. The Queen continued the tradition of celebrating Christmas at Sandringham.
When she became Queen, Elizabeth II asked her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, to manage the estate. The Duke worked to make the estate self-sufficient. He found new ways to earn money. He also took over more land and combined smaller farms.
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In January 1957, the Queen received the resignation of Prime Minister Anthony Eden at the house. At the end of that year, the Queen made her first televised Christmas broadcast from Sandringham. In the 1960s, there were plans to knock down the house and build a modern one. These plans were not carried out. However, the inside of the house was modernized. In 1977, for her Silver Jubilee, the Queen opened the house to the public.
Sandringham continued to be used for shooting. The Queen also developed a successful gun dog breeding program there. She preferred black Labrador retrievers. From 2017 until his death in 2021, the Duke of Edinburgh spent much of his time at Wood Farm. This is a large farmhouse on the Sandringham Estate. In February 2022, the Queen celebrated her 70th year on the throne at Sandringham. She made her last visit to Sandringham in July 2022.
Charles III's Time
When his mother, Elizabeth II, passed away in September 2022, the Sandringham estate went to King Charles. He has spent the last two Christmases at Sandringham. This continues a tradition followed by Elizabeth II.
Sandringham House Design
The house is mostly built from red brick with limestone details. A local stone called Norfolk Carrstone is also used. The roof has nine groups of chimneys. The style is Jacobethan, inspired by nearby Blickling Hall. The main rooms are the saloon, drawing room, dining room, and ballroom. There are also rooms for sports, like the gun room, and for fun, like the bowling alley (now a library) and billiard room. The hallways have a collection of weapons and armor. Edward VII collected these on his trip to the East in 1875–1876.
The Saloon
The saloon is the biggest room in the house. It is used as the main reception room. Guests entered directly into this room, which meant there was no separate place to take off hats and coats. The room has paintings of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The saloon was used for dances before the ballroom was built. It has a minstrels' gallery for musicians. The room also has a weighing machine. Edward VII liked to weigh his guests when they arrived and again when they left. This showed how much weight they gained from his generous hospitality!
The Drawing Room
The drawing room is a very grand room. Queen Victoria wrote in her journal that it was "very long and handsome." It has a painted ceiling and two fireplaces. The room has portraits of Queen Alexandra and her daughters. White marble statues make the room look very fancy.
The Ballroom
The ballroom was added in 1884. Before this, the saloon was the only large room for parties. But the saloon was also the family's main living room. So, furniture had to be moved every time there was a dance. Queen Alexandra loved the new ballroom. She said it was "beautiful" and a "great success." Queen Elizabeth II used the room for parties and as a cinema.
The Dining Room
The dining room walls are decorated with Spanish tapestries. Some of these were by Goya. They were a gift from Alfonso XII of Spain. The walls are covered in oak panels, painted light green. Queen Mary chose this color after seeing a Scottish castle. The dining room could seat 24 people for dinner. This was a common number for a large country house at the time.
What People Think of Sandringham
Some critics have not admired Sandringham House. They say the parts built by Humbert and Edis do not match well. One historian said Sandringham is "the least distinguished architecturally" of the British monarchy's houses. Another compared it to a "golf-hotel" or a "station-hotel." Some describe it as "unattractive" and "grim."
The furniture and art have also been criticized. One writer said, "except for some tapestries... Sandringham had not a single good picture, piece of furniture or other work of art." Edward VII and his son were not known for their love of art. However, the Queen Mother collected 20th-century English art. The house also has the world's largest collection of works by Fabergé. These include animal figures from the Sandringham estate. Edward VII ordered these as gifts for his wife.
Even though it's not praised for its architecture, Sandringham is a rare example of a Victorian country house. It is still lived in and well-kept. It has its original contents, gardens, and other estate buildings. The house, gardens, park, and woodlands are all listed as Grade II* historic sites. This is the second-highest level of protection.
Gardens
The gardens and country park cover 600 acres of the estate. The gardens themselves are 49 acres. They were mostly designed starting in the 1860s. Edward VII got advice from William Broderick Thomas and Ferdinand de Rothschild. The original lake was filled in. Two new lakes were dug further from the house. A summerhouse called The Nest stands above the Upper Lake. It was a gift to Queen Alexandra in 1913.
The gardens north of the house were redesigned after World War II. A statue of Father Time, from the 1700s, was bought by the Queen Mother and put in place in 1951. Other parts of the gardens were redesigned in the 1960s for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. The large kitchen gardens, which used to be very fancy, were turned into lawns. This was because they were too expensive to keep up.
Wider Estate
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The 20,000-acre Sandringham estate is known for its excellent shooting opportunities. It covers seven villages. Besides tourism, the estate grows crops and manages forests. Queen Alexandra kept many animals here, including horses, dogs, and cats. In 1886, a racing pigeon loft was built for birds given to the Duke of York.
The Norwich Gates were a wedding present for Edward and Alexandra. They were designed by Thomas Jeckyll. In 2007, Sandringham House and its grounds became a protected site. This means it is against the law to trespass in the house or its grounds.
The Sandringham estate has a museum in the old coach house. It shows royal life and the estate's history. The museum also has a large collection of royal cars. This includes a 1900 Daimler owned by Edward VII. It also has a 1939 fire engine made for the Sandringham fire brigade. The fire brigade started in 1865 and worked independently until 1968.
The estate has several houses with close links to the royal family.
Anmer Hall
Anmer Hall is a Georgian house on the grounds. The Prince of Wales bought it in 1896. It was the main country home of the Prince and Princess of Wales. They later moved to Adelaide Cottage at Windsor.
Appleton House
When Prince Carl of Denmark (later King Haakon VII of Norway) and Princess Maud married in 1896, Appleton House was a wedding gift. Queen Maud loved Appleton, calling it "a perfect paradise." Their son, Prince Alexander (later King Olav V of Norway), was born there in 1903. After Queen Maud died in 1938, King Haakon returned the property. The house was knocked down in 1984.
Park House
Edward VII built Park House. It has been owned by the royal family for many years. Diana, Princess of Wales, was born here. At that time, her father rented the house. Later, it was run as a hotel by a charity.
Wood Farm
Wood Farm has been part of the Sandringham Estate since Edward VII's time. In the early 1900s, it was home to Prince John. He was the youngest child of King George V and Queen Mary. Prince John had epilepsy. He spent much of his short life quietly at Sandringham. He died at Wood Farm in 1919. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, lived at Wood Farm after he retired from royal duties.
York Cottage
York Cottage, first called Bachelors' Cottage, was built by Edward, Prince of Wales. He built it to house more guests. George V lived here from 1893 until 1925. Edward VIII once said, "Until you have seen York Cottage you will never understand my father." The cottage was not considered beautiful. One writer called it "emphatically, almost defiantly hideous." Another described it as a "glum little villa." York Cottage is now the estate office for Sandringham.
Visiting Sandringham
The country park and visitors' centre are usually open all year. The house, gardens, and museum are normally open from late March to late October. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused parts of the estate to close. It started reopening in February 2022. After Queen Elizabeth II's death, Sandringham was closed for a time of mourning. The country park reopened, but the house and garden stayed closed until April 2023.
See also
In Spanish: Sandringham House para niños
