Dorneywood, located in the Buckinghamshire countryside, is one of the most unique properties managed by the National Trust via The Dorneywood Trust. The house and gardens are only open for a couple of weeks each year, and tickets book up quickly. I managed to secure tickets this year to visit last weekend. The most important fact is that this home is a private residence of a senior government official.
Dorneywood house dates from the 18th century. It started as a farmhouse, but it was renovated after a fire and remodelled in 1919. The property was given to the National Trust in 1947 as an agreement to be a residence for a senior government member. The Dorneywood Trust maintains the house and gardens. We were told that the latest resident was Rishi Sunak, and he moved out only a few days ago as we had visited only a few days after the resignation of Boris Johnson. The prime minister decides which member of government can occupy the house, so it's anyone's guess as to who will next occupy it.
Photographs were not permitted inside the property, and there aren't any new photographs of its interior online, so I will describe what I saw. Upon entry to the house, there's a small hallway with a door on the left. This leads into the dining room. There is a door almost immediately in front of you upon entering. There is a portrait painting, but I cannot remember who it was. Turning to face to your right, there is a large dining table, and the room (rectangular in shape) continues onto the right. There is a staircase and a couple of closed doors to this side of the house on the right-most side of the room). There is a fireplace in the room on the back left wall. At the back of the dining room (right-most wall) was a beautiful blue john vase that was quite large. However, the most impressive item in the room was the Rex Whistler painting, which appears on the wall at the back of the "hallway" and next to the staircase.
Going through to the next room, it has been split into two sections. The smaller section at back includes a book with signatures of visitors, such as the queen and Churchill. There are books here, and many of them are modern. The majority of the room is a living area; it's cozy with some furniture and some paintings (Eton College), and a television is hidden inside a cabinet with the doors closed. The door is at the back.
Going through the door is a small hallway with some artwork; I think it was a floral wallpaper here. This leads immediately to the largest room, which is very light and includes a door to the back of the house with views over the gardens at the back and on the side. There is a lot to look at here, including the impressive fireplace with marble and various paintings and other artwork. A book on the table contains a note about a pinball game Churchill played on his visit and beat the time. The pinball game is also on display.
I drew a map of the gardens and house. The beds and garden areas are in green. The house is in red, and other buildings in brown. There is a lilly pond in blue and a swimming pool also in blue. The gardens date from the 1930s.
Upon arriving at the property, the house is sign-posted across a green lawn. On the left side is an attractive-looking cottage.
On the right is an old barn or stable with beautiful stained glass windows.
At the back of the house are impressive flower beds.
I saw some white lavender growing, but it doesn't smell as nice as the standard purple lavendar.
On the side of the house is a lower garden in a circular shape.
There are beds around this, but they are mostly over. On the other side of one of the beds is a smaller circular bed with a sculpture in the middle.
Passing by the sunken garden, there are hedges and the sound of running water. This leads into a lilly pond with a greenhouse.
Dorneywood is only open a couple of days a year, so you have to watch for tickets to visit. The house tickets are timed, and they must be booked in advance. The house is open a couple weeks a year because the National Trust invested around 250,000 to make repairs.
Leave a comment