Day Out: Polesden Lacey

Past the winding roads and rolling hills lies the gorgeous house of Polesden Lacey. Used for Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother’s honeymoon and the permanent residence of Margaret Greville, a famous 19th-20th-century hostess, the house is certainly grand. Located in Surrey, it is a wonderful National Trust property to visit for a day out or, like me, an afternoon escape.

The grounds are beautiful. The gardens are gorgeously and lovingly tended and nurtured- I can only imagine the amount of work that goes into them- and are lovely to stroll around. Get lost in the endless huge trees or bushes and hedges decorating the landscape. I love the National Trust deck chairs that were situated on the lawns for people to take a seat. They added such a relaxed vibe and provided lots of additional seating for the busy season which was fantastic.

The house itself, as previously touched upon, is magnificent. The bright yellow exterior adds a friendly feel upon arrival and the rooms are grand yet cosy. I enjoyed the entrance hallway; beautiful wooden balconies glance down at you from the higher levels as a chandelier sparkles around the room and tells you that you’re entering a luxurious home. The dark red carpet and draped curtains were a particular favourite of mine. They’re so seductive and give you a glimpse into the exclusive and elite culture that danced through these rooms merely one hundred years ago. There’s certainly something magical about it.

Glorious paintings adorn the walls, lacing every hallway and room with an air of sophistication, whilst individual and unique features in each section of the house lends to a whole and exciting viewpoint of the estate over the years. The use of it in the world wars, for example, as a convalescent home is particularly interesting, certainly to me as a historian but also to anyone, at highlighting the shift in these luxury estates from private houses to important places of rest and recuperation in the war effort. It’s fascinating how these elite members of society switched from having their private quarters and sophisticated lifestyle to providing aid and comfort to unfortunate soldiers. It’s glorious!

Libraries are my favourite room in any old house or castle. The library and study at Polesden Lacey don’t compare to that at Arundel Castle, which is spread across two rooms and features upper balconies, but it is very pleasant. Light and airy, I can imagine comfortable sitting at the desk and glancing out the window over the extensive landscape to gain inspiration. In fact, I went to Polesden Lacey to sit in the grounds and do some writing so I can confirm that it’s very relaxing and inspirational to look over the beautiful countryside! The Gold Room is also exquisite and, as the name suggests, lined completely with gold. It’s spectacular and worth seeing.

Overall I would definitely suggest a stroll around the grounds of Polesden Lacey and a marvel at the house that nestles among hem. It’s a gorgeous property and a wonderful place to escape for a day out.

 

 

 

Day Out: Basildon Park

A couple of days ago I had a day out to the beautiful National Trust property of Basildon Park. The modern house at Basildon Park was originally built around 1770 by Francis Sykes. Having made his fortune in the East India Company, Sykes required a grand property and so enlisted the services of architect John Carr to build the house still standing today. It was a practical distance from London, a suitable size and set in a lovely location. What more could Sykes want?

Apparently nothing. Eventually, in 1838 the house switched hands to the Morrison family, where it remained until 1928 before turning into a convalescent home during World War II. It was later purchased by Lord and Lady Iliffe who restored the house added modern comforts like heating and lived in it for 25 years before gifting it to the National Trust. Since then, it’s been the location for a number of filming ventures, including Downton Abbey (the inside is used for their London house), Pride and Prejudice (starring Keira Knightley) and Dorian Grey. There’s an exhibition at the house detailing the different companies that have filmed here, stills from the camera reels and photos demonstrating the various casts in the rooms. It’s a great exhibition to add context to the rooms.

With an interesting and fairly recent history, the house is a great place to visit for a sense of the past. We arrived around 11am, perfect seeing as the grounds open at 10am and the house at 12pm. The entrance and driveway were so elegant it made me feel like royalty as I drove up towards the car park. Once inside, we strolled up towards the house, there are multiple different woodland routes for you to choose from, and visited the grounds first. The gardens behind the mansion are beautiful, there’s a little rose garden (though sadly we were viewing the plants as they were starting to wilt, I can only imagine how incredible they look in their prime) and attractive borders. The view over the rolling hills and English countryside is amazing, I can really understand why someone would want to build a house here.

Inside, it’s a place full of character. Surprisingly, every room felt cozy and warm despite the fact the house is vast. From rooms with felted walls to ornate painted ceilings, this mansion has so much flair and colour. I loved the library. I always have a special love for libraries in grand houses: they feel so civilised and like a safe haven from a busy world. Basildon Park’s library is very comfortable and cozy, stocked with an exciting assortment of beautifully bound books and a majestic fireplace.

One of the main things I enjoyed about wandering around the past in this gorgeous house is the interactive nature of it. You’re welcome to take a seat on the sofas in the library or open a cupboard in the 1950-style kitchen. It’s really fun to not be completely sectioned away from the house and be able to interact with it. Be careful not to exceed your welcome though, and avoid sitting on objects with pinecones on (these are intended to prevent you sitting on delicate furniture!). A fun piece of furniture was the chair pictured on the left. The triangular ends of this sofa were intended to allow women to sit close together and gossip! I thought that was so wonderful: furniture was actually designed to enable gossip. Quaint?

All in all, I would highly recommend a visit to this National Trust beauty. I actually purchased a National Trust membership when I arrived. I had one last year and a ‘young person’ membership is equal to paying entry to two sites so it’s definitely worth buying if you think you’ll visit more places.

After our fabulous time at the Park, we drove 10 minutes down the road to Pangbourne and had lunch at ‘The Swan’. This, perhaps slightly expensive, pub was incredible. Located on the Thames, it was really nice to sit on the riverside and eat exquisite food. My dressed crab with sweet potato fries was delicious and we were greeted with a couple of swans passing by on the river, hinting towards why the pub held its name.

A great day out in the English countryside.