Get Lost at Loseley

Called “a stately home for all occasions,” Loseley Park is located less than eight miles from our home in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Built in the 1560s, Loseley House has been the home of the More-Molyneux family for some 500 years, and together with its Walled Garden and the 1,500 acres comprising Loseley Park, it is outstandingly beautiful and a delight to visit.

Sir William More laid the first stones for Loseley House in 1562 (reclaimed from the nearby Cistercian Abbey of Waverley) during the reign of Elizabeth I, and much of the house remains unchanged to this day. Highlights include the intricate wooden panels in the Great Hall which were brought from Henry VIII’s Nonsuch Palace; the perfectly preserved 16th century Wrangelschrank cabinet in the Drawing Room inlaid with pearwood, pinewood, rosewood beech and sycamore which certainly caught my eye; and the many portraits and other works of art throughout the house that echo the history of Great Britain through that of the More-Molyneux family.

Loseley Park’s 2.5-acre Walled Garden is not just an expanse of floral beauty, it is divided into ‘rooms’ each with its own unique planting scheme and personality. Our visit in late July came when the Rose garden with over one thousand bushes was past its peak, but it remains a beautiful echo of its earlier colourful glory. The Flower Garden itself is a fabulous maze of pathways and hidden corners where I nearly got lost and had to resort to my mobile phone to find my husband! The White Garden contrasts spectacular, showy, blooms with lush yet subtle silver and grey foliage, while the Herb Garden hosts an extensive range of kitchen herbs. The unusual varieties of the Organic Vegetable Garden lead outside the walls to the natural chaos of the wildflower meadow.

Loseley’s shop is one of those places that I love to hate – simply because I am tempted to buy one of everything in it! You’ll pass it on your way to the ticket kiosk but if you’re like me, you’ll make a beeline for the shop right after you visit the house. And in between, Loseley now offers a full range of catering possibilities for visitors. The Mulberry Tea Lawn is just that, offering seating both outside on the lawn as well as inside a sheltered structure for tea, coffee, sandwiches, soft drinks, cream teas, ice creams and cakes from the Loseley Bakery. The Wisteria Courtyard Restaurant is new for 2011 and boasts a fabulous courtyard restaurant where you can come for Lunch or High Tea. John and I had a nice cuppa under the trees on the Mulberry Tea Lawn, but I do fancy trying Loseley’s High Tea during my next visit.

Loseley Park offers an extensive range of facilities making it an ideal venue for all occasions, from small family gatherings to weddings and corporate events. Host to public events such as the Grow Your Own Show, major garden shows, and Celebrating Surrey Arts Festival, Loseley Park this fall will see the likes of the Richmond Dog Show on its premises from 9 to 11 September. Not to be missed is the annual Country Fair & Ploughing Match on Sunday 25th September 2011. Taking place at the end of Surrey Farm and Food Week, this event is a fantastic country day out for the whole Family. There are ploughing competitions which draw up to 85 ploughmen, including heavy horse ploughing. It’s like going back in time, almost to the days when Sir Michael More first built Loseley House.

Loseley Park is South of Guildford, Surrey and 30 miles South West of London.

Loseley Park
Guildford, Surrey
GU3 1HS

House open May – August; grounds May – September. Weddings and corporate events year round.

Please like & share: