Dorneywood: Rex Whistler Painting from the interior- Ave Silvae Dorni 1928 ©en.Wikipedia.org

Dorneywood Garden is a combination cottage and kitchen garden in 1930s style, set around an 18th-century house. The garden features a lily pond, a stylish conservatory, a rose garden, and herbaceous borders.

In 1910 the house was badly damaged by fire. It was rebuilt and the gardens laid out in 1942. There are 215 acres (87ha) of garden, parkland, woods, and farmland. In the past, the house was closed to visitors but in recent years there has been a limited opening period in the summer.

Dorneywood House is an official government residence, reserved for a Minister of the Crown or the Secretary of State. As such, it is not open to the public. It was bequeathed to the National Trust by Lord Courtauld-Thomson in 1942 on the provision that it be used by the current Prime Minister or a senior cabinet minister. At the moment it is the grace and favour residence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Several well-known Prime Ministers have occupied Dorneywood before becoming PM. Among these are John Major, Anthony Eden, and Alec Douglas-Home. Eden disliked the house, but Douglas-Home was reluctant to leave Dorneywood for Chequers, the official residence of the Prime Minister, when he was elected PM.

The house interior boasts paintings from the government’s own collection of art as well as paintings owned by the National Trust.

Since 1954 the estate has been managed by the Dorneywood Trust, though currently the garden and house opening are administered by the National Trust.

Our visit includes a tour of the house and its surrounding cottage and kitchen garden.

Directions and parking: Leave the M40 at Junction 2. Follow A355 towards Slough for a very short distance. Go straight over the traffic lights for turning into the Services and immediately take the slip road to turn right (signposted Burnham). Follow the road (with care as it is narrow in places) until you pass The Jolly Woodman pub on the left.

Turn left (taking the second road of the forked junction). This is Dorneywood Road. At Littleworth Common pass a left hand turn with cottages opposite. Dorneywood is a few hundred yards beyond on the left hand side. The entrance is concealed but has a clipped beech hedge alongside and solid black gates. The gate is open 15 minutes before the time of the visit, not before.

Security is very tight and no photography is allowed anywhere on the property.

EVENTS

New Booking and Cancellation Policy for Events

A Garden Visit: Dorneywood, Slough

14th July 2022 @ 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Dorneywood Garden is a combination cottage and kitchen garden in 1930s style, set around an 18th-century house. The garden features a lily pond, a stylish conservatory, a rose garden, and herbaceous borders.

In 1910 the house was badly damaged by fire. It was rebuilt and the gardens laid out in 1942. There are 215 acres (87ha) of garden, parkland, woods, and farmland. In the past, the house was closed to visitors but in recent years there has been a limited opening period in the summer.

The house interior boasts paintings from the government’s own collection of art as well as paintings owned by the National Trust.

Since 1954 the estate has been managed by the Dorneywood Trust, though currently the garden and house opening are administered by the National Trust.

Our visit includes a tour of the house and its surrounding cottage and kitchen garden.

Details

Organiser

Venue

EVENTS

New Booking and Cancellation Policy for Events

A Garden Visit: Dorneywood, Slough

14th July 2022 @ 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Dorneywood Garden is a combination cottage and kitchen garden in 1930s style, set around an 18th-century house. The garden features a lily pond, a stylish conservatory, a rose garden, and herbaceous borders.

In 1910 the house was badly damaged by fire. It was rebuilt and the gardens laid out in 1942. There are 215 acres (87ha) of garden, parkland, woods, and farmland. In the past, the house was closed to visitors but in recent years there has been a limited opening period in the summer.

The house interior boasts paintings from the government’s own collection of art as well as paintings owned by the National Trust.

Since 1954 the estate has been managed by the Dorneywood Trust, though currently the garden and house opening are administered by the National Trust.

Our visit includes a tour of the house and its surrounding cottage and kitchen garden.

Details

Organiser

Venue

GDPR