West Horsley Place
Untouched for decades, West Horsley Place is a mediaeval manor house unexpectedly inherited by Bamber Gascoigne, the television presenter, and vested in a charitable trust to enable its repair.
Epsom Road, Surrey, KT24 6AN
Legend has it that Sir Walter Raleigh’s embalmed head was kept within these walls by his devoted wife and Guy Fawkes once worked here. Although the house is currently on Historic England’s At Risk Register and in need of restoration, from 2020 the formal reception rooms will have been sensitively restored and new heating and lighting installed as well as luxurious new lavatories. The Stone Hall, named for its flagstones made from York Stone, is where Henry VIII had a 35-course banquet when visiting West Horsley Place in 1536. Classical in style, the Stone Hall has a light and elegant atmosphere. West Horsley Place is home to the remarkable Crewe Collection of books (many of which were also donated to Trinity College, Cambridge) which forms our atmospheric library; floor to ceiling bookcases, antique furniture and medieval wall arches (complete with witches’ marks).
Our 5 acres of formal walled gardens were laid out in 1710 and feature the rare and beautiful crinkle-crankle (or serpentine) wall, as well as a charming and spacious walled orchard.