Leith Hill Place



Beauty and genius in the Surrey Hills
Beauty and genius in the Surrey Hills
An atmospheric house with panoramic views across the Surrey countryside, Leith Hill Place was the childhood home of one of England's greatest composers, Ralph Vaughan Williams, who gave it to the National Trust in 1945.
His grandparents, Josiah Wedgwood III and Caroline (née Darwin) moved here in 1847 and his great uncle, the famous naturalist Charles Darwin, conducted experiments in the grounds.
For nearly 40 years, Leith Hill Place had been tenanted as a school boarding house, and in summer 2013, we opened to the public for the first time since the 1960s. The house is at a crossroads in its history and we invite you to visit and see it in transition.
Feel inspired as you walk around a place that has been the setting for so much creativity, whilst taking in lovely views, listening to the music and relaxing with a cup of tea.
Don't expect a perfectly restored National Trust place, but come with an open mind and a sense of adventure.
Most of our places run the Gift Aid on Entry scheme at their admission points.
Under this scheme, if you're not a member you have the choice of two entry tickets:
If the place runs Gift Aid on Entry, we'll offer you a clear choice between the Gift Aid Admission prices and the Standard Admission prices at the admission point. It's entirely up to you which ticket you choose.
Gift Aid Admission includes a 10 per cent or more voluntary donation. Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
An extra £1 paid under the scheme can be worth over £3 to the National Trust as shown below:
Gift Aid | Standard | |
---|---|---|
Amount paid by visitor | £11.00 | £10.00 |
Tax refund from Government* | £2.75 | £0.00 |
Total received by the National Trust | £13.75 | £10.00 |
*Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.