Polesden Lacey
The magnificent entry hall, with an open gallery too. Beautiful!
And so we continue our little series of finding country living within the city.
Polesden Lacey isn't quite London, it’s actually based in Surrey, our close county neighbour. But it isn’t a challenge to get to, simply a train and taxi ride away, and suddenly - you are transported to countryside. Walking towards the house, I couldn’t help but imagine Pride & Prejudice. It is in fact a regency house that was later extensively remodelled in the Edwardian era, by societal queen bee, Margaret Greville.
Brief History
Margaret was the daughter of millionaire William McEwan and his cook/mistress Helen Andersen (scandalous!). She was actually married at the time of their affair, and when her husband died, William married her. Margaret was 21 years old when her parents married.
When it was Margaret’s time to marry (Hon. Ronald Greville), her father bought Polesden Lacey as a home for the newlyweds. Margaret was the hostess with the mostess - she was known for throwing entertaining parties there and the home played temporary host to the future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, who spent part of their honeymoon there. From a brewer's daughter to socialising with royals, it was quite the step up for our Margaret.
The house was remodelled by architects Mewes and Davis (they had designed the Ritz Hotel). Margaret was known for her large collection of artworks, for her knowledge in politics and sway amongst high society. When she passed away in 1942, she left Polesden Lacey and the 1,600-acre land to the National Trust.
Today
I visited during the December Christmas run. It was on a Saturday so naturally quite busy, and the property lends itself very well to families. There’s plenty of walking paths to join, and you mustn’t skip the walled garden and vegetable garden. Yes, during winter there might not be as much growing, but I can imagine coming here during the summer season, and seeing the rose garden in full bloom. The house overlooks the valley where sheep graze, and I enjoyed watching the sheep dogs herd the baaing rabble across the landscape. There is something very beautiful about the English countryside during winter. It’s dark and dull, with a hint of drizzly rain, but my goodness, I declare I could not call home anywhere else. The rolling hills seemingly lost in the fog, or birds flocking together above the hibernating trees, I am enraptured. The poets, painters and writers have expressed love for the country better than I ever could. I had the gardens to myself when the rain began to fall, and it was inspiring to think of the past and the elite members of society, who had once walked those same steps. I would have loved to have glimpsed the extravagant dinner parties held here…
A view from the gardens and the back of the house.
One of the entrances into the walled garden.
As it is winter time, this is usually when most NT properties will be slowly closing up and carrying out maintenance work. We can all appreciate the hard work that goes into maintaining homes like these, but it seems a shame that they do so happen over the Christmas period. The place was packed with families, and what I am sure is an impressive entrance to the home, was hidden away in scaffolding. In addition, a lot of the rooms were closed up. They also had cleared the furnishings from some rooms, to make way for the Christmas decor. I am not complaining - the house was still magical to visit. But if you are wanting more bang for your buck, I would suggest visiting outside the winter season. Spring is best, if you want to avoid the summer busyness. Though I love winter and Christmas, and so I enjoyed the festive season being held there. One of the highlights for me was the live piano player and listening to a range of sweet melodies, from carols to Disney classics.
The rooms and hallways were beautifully decorated. From the entrance hall, you are greeted with a 20 ft tall Christmas tree. It was their biggest one to date and I could tell that the volunteers were very proud of this fact. They happily offered to take people’s pictures for them and one gentleman volunteer was so sharply dressed. He had a Scottish accent, full of warmth and humour. No matter what property or landscape garden I visit, the volunteers have always been the most helpful and just vibrant. They want you to be as excited about the place as they are. Each of the rooms were fairytale themed and the children had fun guessing which ones were being depicted. I spent ages staring at the built-in bookshelves myself! I love those old hardcover back books that you often find in these sorts of libraries. I grew up surrounded by books, my father has his own personal library in our family home. It’s sentimental whenever I see stacks of classic books.
Such beautiful book hardcovers.
Take your time while exploring. I’d encourage you to go back to the start and look again. There are often things you miss just simply because you’re caught in the cattle crowd. Also, it’s nice just to enjoy the space, being present. The first round, you’ll be snapping away photos and trying to squeeze past everybody. The second and third time round will give you a chance to read the history of the place and look at every single detail that homes of that past era once built. Some things may feel too ornate for our modern-day taste, but it is truly amazing to see what humans have crafted, mostly by hand. We have this wonderful chance to appreciate the craftsmanship in these now living museums. The sad fact is, most homes in the now and future, won’t have the specially designed cornices or built-in alcove bookcases. That’s not to say we must repeat architectural history, but we get to explore the minds of past people who imagined these pieces. I think that’s pretty cool.
Polesden Lacey - https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/surrey/polesden-lacey
