Polesden Lacey

The name 'Polesden' is thought to be Old English. The first house was built here by 1336. Anthony Rous bought the estate in 1630 and rebuilt the medieval house.{{cite journal |last= Currie |first= CK |year= 2000 |title= Polesden Lacey and Ranmore Common estates, near Dorking: an archaeological and historical survey |url= https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-379-1/dissemination/pdf/vol_87/surreyac087_049-084_currie.pdf |journal= Surrey Archaeological Collections |volume= 87 |pages= 49–84 |doi= 10.5284/1069268 }} The house was owned by the Rous family until 1723, when the estate was purchased by the economist and politician Arthur Moore. An octagonal pavilion was added to the south front at this time.{{Cite book |last=Akeroyd |first=Simon |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/925365106 |title=Polesden Lacey, Surrey : a souvenir guide |date=2018 |others=Vicky Bevan, National Trust |isbn=978-1-84359-492-5 |location=Swindon, Wilts |pages=2–3, 6–7 |oclc=925365106}}

In 1747 Sir Francis Geary, 1st Baronet purchased the estate, and subsequently spent his retirement there. Richard Brinsley Sheridan, the poet and playwright, came to live there in 1797 and began work to improve the building.{{cite web|url=http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-polesdenlacey/w-polesdenlacey-history.htm|title=History of Polesden Lacey|publisher=National Trust|access-date=27 February 2010|archive-date=4 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304025218/http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-polesdenlacey/w-polesdenlacey-history.htm|url-status=live}} However this effort was counter-productive and in 1818 Joseph Bonsor, a stationer and bookseller, bought the estate. He commissioned Thomas Cubitt to build an entirely new house in 1821–23, creating the core of the house seen today. Bonsor died in 1835, and the house passed to his son who, in 1853, sold the estate to Sir Walter Farquhar, 3rd Baronet, who held it until his death in 1902.{{Cite web |title=POLESDEN LACEY, Non Civil Parish - 1000300 {{!}} Historic England |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1000300 |access-date=2022-07-12 |website=historicengland.org.uk |language=en}}

File:Mr and Mrs Ronald Greville crop 1906.jpg and Margaret Greville, c. 1900]]

The Polesden Lacey estate was purchased in 1902 by Sir Clinton Edward Dawkins, a civil servant who worked in the Colonial Office. He commissioned Ambrose Poynter, architect son of Sir Edward Poynter, to significantly extend Cubitt's work to create the present-day house. Sir Clinton, however died in 1905, shortly after its completion.The Times, Monday, Dec 04, 1905; pg. 9; Issue 37881; col E

The estate was then bought in 1906 by William McEwan, for his daughter, Margaret Greville. Architects Charles Mewès and Arthur Davis, who were responsible for The Ritz Hotel, London, remodelled the house for the Grevilles. The couple filled the house with collections of fine furniture, porcelain, silver and art. Ronald Greville died in 1908 only two years after they had moved to Polesden Lacey. He was aged 46.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title= Captain The Hon. Ronald Greville |date= 6 April 1908 |page= 6 |issue= 38613}}

Margaret continued to entertain lavishly at the house. She also owned a home in London in which she held expensive parties. Over the next 30 years her reputation as an Edwardian society hostess became established.

In 1923 Margaret invited the Duke and Duchess of York to spend their honeymoon at Polesden Lacey and the royal couple subsequently spent two weeks there. Shortly before their arrival, The Illustrated London News took photographs of the house and published a large feature article about the proposed honeymoon venue.Illustrated London News (London, England), Saturday, 28 April 1923

File:Polesden Lacey 1923.jpg

File:Gateway to The Terrace, Polesden Lacey 1923.jpg

File:Pergola Polesden Lacey 1923.jpg

File:The Library Polesden Lacey 1923.jpg

File:Kings Bedroom Polesden Lacey 1923.jpg

File:Drawing Room Polesden Lacey 1923.jpg

File:Arbour Polesden Lacey 1923.jpg

File:Polesdon Lacey, West facade.jpg

Polesden Lacey was left to the National Trust by Mrs Greville in 1942 in memory of her father, the brewer William McEwan.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title= Polesden Lacey for the Nation |date= 25 November 1942 |page= 7 |issue= 49402}} (She was his illegitimate daughter and sole heir.{{ODNBweb |first=Ian |last=Donnachie |title=McEwan, William (1827–1913) |year=2004 |edition=online |id=50416 }}) The bequest included approximately {{convert|1000|acre}} of land along with paintings and items of furniture, which she hoped would form the basis of a future art gallery. Her jewellery collection was bequeathed to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-24 |title=A Fabergé egg and a jade frog: treasures of Polesden Lacey |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/apr/24/faberge-egg-and-a-jade-frog-treasures-of-polesden-lacey |access-date=2022-07-12 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

The house was first opened to the public by the Trust in 1948.{{Cite book |last=Evans |first=Siân |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aE4mEAAAQBAJ&q=mrs+ronnie |title=Mrs Ronnie: The Society Hostess Who Collected Kings |date=2013-09-17 |publisher=National Trust |isbn=978-1-909881-00-6 |language=en}} In August 1960, a fire destroyed around half of the roof of the property. Several ground floor ceilings were damaged by water during attempts to extinguish the blaze,{{Cite newspaper The Times |title= Art treasures saved in mansion fire |date= 3 September 1960 |page= 6 |issue= 54867}} however the collection of art and furniture was rescued by estate workers.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title= The fire at Polesden Lacey |date= 3 September 1960 |page= 14 |issue= 54867}} The cost of repairs, some £65,000, was covered by insurance and the house reopened to the public on 9 June 1962.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title= Polesden Lacey reopened |date= 8 June 1962 |page= 7 |issue= 554123}}

In 1995 the National Trust embarked on a programme of restoration and renovation. In 2008/9 the visitor facilities were re-furbished, with a new car park, cafe, shop and farm shop. However, not all of the house is open to the public, including many bedrooms and servants' areas.{{Cite web |title=Discover the house |url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/polesden-lacey/features/a-tour-around-the-house-at-polesden-lacey |access-date=2022-07-12 |website=National Trust |language=en}} From the 1970s to 2015, some of these closed off spaces are used as offices; there is hope that more will be restored and opened for visitors in the future. This process began in March 2011, with the opening of Mrs Greville's private apartment.{{Cite web |title=Plans for the future |url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/polesden-lacey/features/plans-for-the-future |access-date=2022-07-12 |website=National Trust |language=en}}

Polesden Lacey received over 287,000 visitors in 2020/21, placing it in the Trust's top ten most-visited properties.{{cite web |year=2021 |title=National Trust Annual Report 2020/21 |url=https://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/documents/annual-report-202021.pdf |publisher=National Trust}}

There are a number of walks around the Polesden Lacey estate, especially in the valley that the main house overlooks.{{Cite web |title=Polesden Lacey estate walks |url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/polesden-lacey/lists/polesden-lacey-estate-walks |access-date=2022-07-12 |website=National Trust |language=en}} The estate includes a Youth Hostel, called Tanners Hatch.{{Cite web |title=Tanners Hatch – theglade.net |url=https://www.theglade.net/tanners-hatch/ |access-date=2022-07-12 |website=www.theglade.net}} Polesden Lacey also has open-air performing facilities, which are used during the summer to host various musical and theatrical events. In 2009 there was the Polesden Lacey Festival.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-polesdenlacey/w-polesdenlacey-festival.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514142520/http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-polesdenlacey/w-polesdenlacey-festival.htm|url-status=dead |title=National Trust – Polesden Lacey Festival 2009|archivedate=14 May 2009}} In 2016 a campsite was opened on the estate.{{Cite web |last=Nightingale-DNU |first=Laura |date=2016-04-25 |title=Happy campers! You can now pitch a tent at Polesden Lacey |url=http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/family-camping-site-launched-polesden-11189397 |access-date=2022-07-12 |website=SurreyLive |language=en}}

Polesden Lacey has been used as a filming location including; Close My Eyes,{{cite web |title=Close My Eyes (1991) Filming & Production |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101595/locations?ref_=ttfc_sa_4 |publisher=IMDb |access-date=15 August 2018 |archive-date=23 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123095911/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101595/locations?ref_=ttfc_sa_4 |url-status=live }} Shooting Fish,{{cite web |title=Shooting Fish (1997) Filming & Production |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120122/locations?ref_=ttfc_sa_4 |publisher=IMDb |access-date=15 August 2018 |archive-date=23 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123095752/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120122/locations?ref_=ttfc_sa_4 |url-status=live }} and Antiques Roadshow.{{cite web |title=Polesden Lacey |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01f9qdv |website=BBC Antiques Roadshow |access-date=15 August 2018 |archive-date=16 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181016150429/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01f9qdv |url-status=live }}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/polesden-lacey Polesden Lacey information at the National Trust]
• [https://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/south-east-england/hostels/tanners-hatch/facilities.aspx Tanners Hatch Youth Hostel]
• [http://www.gardenvisit.com/gardens/polesden_lacey Polesden Lacey garden design history]

{{Mole Valley}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Gardens in Surrey

Category:Country houses in Surrey

Category:Historic house museums in Surrey

Category:National Trust properties in Surrey

Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Surrey