Not far from Henley on Thames and not very grand, but extremely interesting! The house was donated to the National Trust by Sir Felix and Elizabeth, Lady Brunner who bought the house in 1937. Walled courtyards, pretty gardens and its history begins in 1346!
The house today is very much a family home and has been virtually rebuilt; changed hands many times but it’s a fascinating hotchpotch in beautiful countryside.
Enter the De Greys, Walter, land owner and Archbishop of York who sided with John, and was present when he signed Magna Carta.
The Lovells next inherited Greys Court by marriage, and picked the losing side, supporting Richard 111 and eventually his estates were confiscated and Henry V11 passed on the estate to Robert Knollys in 1514. His son, Francis, a devout protestant fled the country and only returned when Elizabeth 1 came to the throne. Unfortunately his daughter Lettice was secretly married to Robert Dudley and there was something of a falling out!
Francis, in a desperate bid to regain Elizabeth’s favour demolished much of the medieval building and rebuilt it as a typical Elizabethan house. Elizabeth never did visit Greys Court.
Moving on, the Stapletons took over in 1724 until the house was sold in 1935 to Evelyn Fleming, who had two sons, Ian, creator of James Bond and Peter.
Sold to the Brunners two years later in remained in their hands until 1969 when it was given to the National Trust.
Despite my questions and a little research, I failed to find any real evidence of Greys Court playing any significant part in the Civil War. Never mind, it was a lovely sunny day, and we enjoyed yet another visit. No photography allowed in the house but I’ve borrowed a couple of NT photos, just to give you an idea.
Hasty history, but I hope you enjoy the photos.
PS. Oh, Bearsy, there’s a ha-ha!
Boadicea's Chariot 
That’ll be on my list to visit then. Not been to this one.
Lovely looking house.
Its on my list and not too far away. Lovely place, Ara. How did you get that high up photo looking down on the house and pathway and garden?
Interesting, Araminta, thank you! Looks like a very worthwhile visit. I particularly like that pretty plasterwork and the well-kept gardens. The clematis looks terrific.
Thanks Rick, it is worth a visit, but it is really not a large house.
Oops, I forgot to add captions to the photos, but I’ll try to add them tomorrow.
The wheel thingy is a donkey wheel, to draw water from the well. Thanks goodness it was one of the Tudor thingies; I didn’t approve. It’s a bit like a hamster wheel. 😦
http://www.gardens-guide.com/gardenpages/_0136.htm
the gardens are well worth a visit I can see
I took the photos from the Tower, Nym.
It was a climb but easier than I thought. The time before, I was wearing a long dress and high heels. We went to a black tie hamper do, and they had musical happenings in various parts of the garden.
As there should be in any self-respecting estate! 😀
Thanks Jan.
Yes, the plaster work it lovely. The clematis was just beautiful.
Sadly the wisteria, which is over a hundred years old, was over, but I can imagine that was quite a sight.
Quite so, Bearsy. 🙂
Those photos are lovely, Ara
Thanks for this, Araminta. Beautiful photographs – and the flowers look magnificent!
I reckon small houses are often more interesting than great mansions. Their owners often didn’t have the cash to pull a whole building down to build new – so, as you say, one gets a delightful hotchpotch of eras and architecture.
Thank you Claire and Boadicea.
I thought this may be of interest.
I could have written a great deal more, but I thought the photographs would hopefully give you a better idea of the place.
I agree, the smaller houses are much more interesting and idiosyncratic.
It is a very small estate, only the house, remnants of walls, towers, the Dower House, and lovely gardens. The woodland is wonderful too. I think it’s only about 300 acres.
Crested newts in the pond, a spectacular rose garden, and a restored ice-house.
The vegetable and herb garden in just so pretty, borders of chives in flower, and cat-mint in flower.
We saw two newts. One was pregnant. Good for her and all crested newts.
The donkey wheel will give me nightmares. Imagine doing that for 60 years.
Lovely pictures, Aramninta.
Just to rub it in: earlier today I went to the California Palace of the Legion of Honour and saw the Gloucestershire Magna Carta which is on loan until early June.
Thanks for the pictures and the Info Araminta.
Been to Henley quite a bit in the past few years, usually to the Museum of Rowing, never seen this lovely estate. The National Trust are making great efforts to get the public closer to the fabric and content of their houses and have started to dress rooms and staff in period costume, I know some folk deride it as ‘Disneyfication’, I don’t, anything that gets punters through the door and taking an interest is a good thing. Is this estate one that is as I describe?
Hello Christopher.
I can imagine that it would be a popular exhibit!
OMG.
No, I know what you mean, but it is not “Disneyfied” at all. It was very much the Brunners family home where they brought up their four children. It is pretty much how they left it, I believe.
Super photos Araminta, and a lovely post too.
Great pictures and a great read Ara. When we next visit Ewelme and Wallingford we may well do a detour. (There is a new stone recently laid in Ewelme churchyard for my dear old aunt so we are due a visit to those parts soon.) PS Ewelme would make an interesting post in itself with its Tudor and Elizabethan history!
Oh, and I forget to say, that one of the things I like about the house is that you can wander around the rooms. Very few roped off areas in the rooms that are open. Each room contains a docent who is available to answer questions. You are given an entry time for the house, and they suggest you visit rooms in a certain order but it’s quite informal, and not a guided tour.
Thank you, Val and PapaG.
Yes, Ewelme and Wallingford certainly would be an interesting subject. The Knollys family had connections with Ewelme!
Thanks for the captions.
No problem, I don’t normally worry, but I realised that it might be better to label some of them, so I had to work out how to add them!
It’s all in the help menus!! But, I suspect you’re a bit like me – never think of looking at manual 🙂
I know, but I have done it before and it really didn’t take me too long to remember. I would certainly have looked at your guide to slideshows if I had a problem.