Polesden Lacey

The highlights of the heritage are stunning Edwardian interiors throughout the fabulous building. Polesden Lacey is a Regency house that's been transformed into an Edwardian mansion; this mansion, as well as a wide array of formal rooms decorated with the works of Raeburn and Reynolds as well as other famous artists, was decorated by brewery heiress Mrs. Ronald Greville.

During the 1906 era, Margaret Greville, who is one of the most renowned society hostesses of Edwardian London, brought the early 19th-century house and estate in Surrey Hills forward in time by updating it to match the tastes of society at the time. The house sits very close to Dorking and also provided her with easy access to her London based home. Mrs. Greville designed Polesden Lacey with the intention of using it as a luxury location for weekend parties and intimate gatherings for her circle of elite friends and acquaintances.

Margaret Greville is the daughter of brewer William McEwan. It was through the brewing business that he made his fortune, with one of his most well-known creations being McEwan's Ale. At the time of her birth, Margaret was illegitimate (meaning she was born out of wedlock); although her father was later married to her mother, which made it more accurate to say that McEwan bought Polesden for his daughter and her husband, who she was married to in 1891. Margaret's husband was called Ronald Greville, and he was the second son of the 2nd Baron Greville. Ronald died in 1908.

Mrs. Greville had the lucrative combination of her father's money and her husband's societal value; she moved around the elite circle of society to be able to entertain the royals, ranging from Edward VII to George VI. In 1922, Mrs. Greville was given the name Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). After earning this title, she welcomed the most elite and renown of London society to her house in Charles Street, Mayfair. One of her greatest points of pride was being able to invite and draw movie stars and maharajahs to her gatherings.

Mrs. Greville was an intriguing individual; as she moved around in the highest social circles, she was known to be kind and thoughtful at times, or wickedly acerbic at others. Arthur Balfour called her wit "honeyed poison," and there were other comments that were even less kind. Many weren't impressed with how she had earned herself a well-known household name and became well known in that time period. However, she also had her fans; Edward VII described her ability to entertain as "genius."

After she acquired the house from her father, Mrs. Greville began the process of evolving it into a venue that she found suitable for hosting regular gatherings of the elite. Her guests included royalty, artists, politicians, and others at the top of society's ladder. The Grevilles hired the architects Mewes and Davis, designers of the Ritz Hotel in London, when decorating Polesden Lacey; every convenience possible was installed, including such extravagancies as en suite accommodation and telephones, which in that day of age were simply not common.

The house was furnished in an extravagant style, but not in a coherent manner. The decoration was acquired from other estates and historic properties. Because of this, the entrance hall is decorated in a different style from the Library, which bears no resemblance to the style of the Saloon, and so on. This has become one of the most interesting aspects of Polesden Lacey. Visitors are fascinated by the fact that each area of the estate seems different as you enter the room, with its own distinct style and character. You think "oh wow;" you get the sense that people came into this house to feel right at home. Moving from one room to the next is a perpetual path of discovery of what she used the rooms for and how people felt when they arrived at their destination of peace and quiet, with no disturbances or anything of the sort.

When it came to 1923, Mrs. Grevilles offered Polesden to the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth) for their honeymoon, and the couple spent a couple of weeks at the amazing country house. This resulted in the house and grounds being featured in a London Newspaper, and preserved the appearance of both the interior and the gardens for today's visitors.

In 1942, Mrs. Greville had left the estate to the National Trust in her will to commemorate her father with the original artifacts, paintings, and many more historical items you can see when visiting.

Polesden Lacey Pictures 22.8.17