Chartwell

Chartwell was the beloved home of one of Britain's greatest politicians, Sir Winston Churchill. The house has many treasures and provides an intimate portrait of the Churchill family.

With conkers galore and crunchy leaves just begging to kicked, autumn is a fantastic time of year to get out and enjoy the outdoors. See if you can escape from our bomb crater, or challenge your friends to build the biggest den in our woodland.

Enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of a 20th century flower garden blooming all year round at Chartwell. From spring blossom to summer roses, autumn apples to winter trees, the garden at Chartwell is a feast for the eyes, whatever the season.

Chartwell can get very busy especially during summer holidays and at the weekends. Read our top tips on how to beat the crowds.

Churchill was an avid amateur painter, painting over 500 canvasses in total. A large collection are housed at Chartwell and hang from the walls in the studio.

The woodland at Chartwell transforms into a fiery landscape as the leaves turn an array of ambers, reds and yellows before falling. Look out for autumnal fungi, such as the fly agaric with its distinctive red cap and white spots and enjoy the crunching of leaves underfoot.

Gain a unique insight into the extraordinary life of Sir Winston Churchill. Our exhibition presents a collection of Churchill’s own cherished possessions, many of which have not been displayed before, collected by him over the course of his lifetime.

Catch the last of the summer fruit and vegetables in the kitchen garden, or meander down to the rock garden to see the water cascade into Sir Winston Churchill's swimming pool below.

From purchasing and preserving the most cherished objects from Churchill’s life to unearthing the lost stories from those that worked most closely with him, discover how even a small donation can help to secure the legacy of the man behind the legend for future generations.

As well as acquiring Churchill's personal belongings, thanks to the continued funds raised by the appeal we hope to open new rooms of the house and tell some of the most important stories of Churchill and Chartwell in new interactive ways.

We want to raise £7.1 million to purchase over 1,000 objects in our collection and reinvigorate Churchill's legacy at Chartwell. Find out our latest news on the appeal and discover new ways for you to get involved.

Enjoy a lunch with us at the Landemare café and what would a visit to the National Trust be without a scone and tea?

Make your way to the Garden Cottage, open now on weekends only until the end of September, for grab and go refreshments and unrivalled views of Chartwell.

From souvenirs, gifts and Churchill memorabilia you'll be spoiled for choice in the Chartwell shop. Why not treat yourself to a little something?

Our story at Chartwell begins in 1946/7 whilst Winston Churchill and his family were still in residence. Discover how we helped to preserve a significant piece of British history.

From rags to riches, this is the story of a cat that got the National Trust cream, and the Churchill request that there should always be a marmalade cat at Chartwell.

Reinforce your classroom work with our new creative learning sessions. Local schools can have a member of the Chartwell team visit to deliver free sessions based around our greatest statesman - Winston Churchill.

Book a talk with us, delivered by one of our knowledgeable volunteers, for your next community meeting.

Bring your school along to Chartwell to discover the family home of Sir Winston Churchill. Find out what we have to offer and how to book your school visit.

Are you looking for a new challenge? Meeting new people? Learning new skills? From Room Stewards to Garden Tour Guides, find out about our volunteering opportunities here.

Want to help Chartwell but don't feel you can volunteer that much time? You can always join a local supporter groups that help fundraise for several properties. They also go out and about on visits and it's a great way to meet people and make friends.

By the Christmas of 1941 war had taken hold of Europe, with many people having to leave their homes as a result. Even royalty had to flee their countries, with King Peter II of Yugoslavia finding refuge in Britain. This silver cigar box, a Christmas present from Peter to Winston, represents the wartime friendship forged between the two.

On December 10 1953 Lady Clementine Churchill received the Nobel Prize for Literature on behalf of her husband. This significant literary award was presented to Winston not just for his writing, but for his commanding speeches which resonated across the world.