Our June visit takes us to Polesden Lacey, the lavish country retreat of Dame Margaret Greville, who rose from simple origins to become a wealthy and influential society heiress and art collector. When she and her husband, a self-made beer magnate, bought the house in Great Bookham in 1906, they employed the designers of the Ritz in London to transform it into an opulent home fit for royalty, aristocrats, millionaires and maharajahs. King Edward VII was a guest of honour, and the future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother spent part of their honeymoon here in 1923. The VIPs invited to attend the frequent house parties included such famous names as Charlie Chaplin and Winston Churchill.
In 1942 Polesden Lacey was bequeathed to the nation. Today, the house boasts the largest group of Fabergé objects in the National Trust, and possibly in any country house collection in the UK. These sit alongside a world-class collection of Old Master paintings, as well as outstanding examples of ceramics and silver.
The upper floors of the house have just been opened up after the winter, and the famous portrait of Mrs. Greville has recently returned to the house after restoration. The current exhibition – The Last Tree & The Art of Nature – is a collaboration with best-selling author and celebrated nature artist Luke Adam Hawker.
On arrival, we will have a short, guided tour of the gardens before the house opens at 11am.
After lunch, our coach will transfer us to nearby Denbies Wine Estate, where two trains will take us off on a tour of the vineyard, with stunning views of the North Downs and the rolling Surrey Hills. This will be followed by a guided indoor tour of the winery, a short film about the history of Denbies, plus a glass of wine and a wine tasting.
Planted in 1986, Denbies is the largest single-estate vineyard in England and is one of the UK’s largest wine producers. For more information, please click here.
To find out more about Polesden Lacey, please click here.
To discover more about the BBC television series Hidden Treasures of the National Trust, which will air on Friday 10 May, please click here.
Proposed programme for the day:
9.00 (TBC): Assemble at Hop Oast for departure by 9.15
10.00: Arrive Polesden Lacey, time for tea/coffee
10.45: Guided tour of garden (house is open from 11)
11.30: Visit house (free flow), shop, exhibition, have lunch
1.30: Coach transfer to Denbies
2.00: Outdoor train tour of vineyard
3.00: Indoor tour, short film and wine tasting
4.00: Time for afternoon tea/shopping
5.00: Coach departs Denbies
5.30: Arrive Horsham
Cost:
£47 pp for National Trust members
£61.25 pp for non-NT members
These prices include coach & gratuity, house visit & garden tour at Polesden Lacey & two guided tours at Denbies (outdoor + indoor, plus short film and wine tasting).
