Polesden Lacey

A family walking along the herbaceous borders in spring — Visitors walking along the herbaceous borders in spring

Male visitor in the Saloon at Polesden Lacey, Surrey — Read about the collection in the red folder in each room at Polesden Lacey

A couple relax on deckchairs on the South Lawn at Polesden Lacey — Drinking in the stunning landscape on the South Lawn at Polesden Lacey

Important notice -

22/03/20 - All of Polesden Lacey house, gardens, parks, toilets, cafes, shops and car park are now closed to further restrict the spread of coronavirus.

The perfect setting for an Edwardian country retreat

Overview
Opening times
How to get here
Facilities and access
Contact us
Property map

Coronavirus update

From end of Tuesday 24 March, we closed all our car parks to further restrict the spread of coronavirus. This followed the decision to close our parks and gardens in addition to our houses, shops and cafes. We urge people to stay local and observe social distancing. Please do not travel.

Polesden Lacey

Things to see and do

Virtual highlights: spring flowers at Polesden Lacey

Children in a field of daffodils at Polesden Lacey, Surrey

Bluebells in the woodland next to a path on the estate at Polesden Lacey

Flowers in the Iris Garden at Polesden Lacey in front of a garden ornament.

Daffodils

There’s no better symbol for spring than the sunny yellow daffodil. Every autumn our gardeners plant thousands of bulbs and, come spring, the daffodils bloom in swathes of yellow, cream and orange.

Bluebells

There are pockets of bluebells in the gardens at Polesden Lacey, but the loveliest displays are on the estate. In woodland glens, carpets of bluebells sway gently, as birds sing overhead.

Spring Borders

The garden team redesigned and replanted the Spring Borders in 2015, with trees like the Manchurian cherry tree, shrubs like winged spindle and euphorbias. The borders look their best from February.

Iris Garden

In May the beds in the Iris Garden, planted with a selection of historic iris varieties, explode; blooming en masse to create a vibrant carpet of colour.

Polesden Lacey

Get involved

Spring inspiration

Create your own Polesden Lacey garden

Head gardener, Jamie Harris, shares his top tips on how to begin to create your own 'mini-Polesden' garden at home.

Sixteenth century Italian maiolica duck, part of the large collection at Polesden Lacey

Explore the collection

Even though you can't visit the house at the moment, you can always have a virtual wander around to see the collection. Take a look at the Dutch Old Master paintings, excellent examples of fine silverware, ceramics and maiolica that Mrs Greville collected during her lifetime.

Ideas for families

A child holding a green leaf with a beetle on it

Activities to help you get closer to nature this spring

Here are some easy, downloadable ideas to help families enjoy nature - whether that's in a garden or on a local walk. Why not become a minibeast or plant detective this spring?

Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) resting on a hand

Bird watching for beginners

Why not try some bird watching this spring; from your window, in your garden or while you're out for a walk in your local area? Polesden Lacey's ranger tells us his top three birds to try and spot this spring.

A child digging with a small trowel some soil from a wooden tray into a flower pot

50 things activities to do in your back garden

Even bold adventurers don't need to go too far from home to tick off challenges from the '50 things' activity list. Here are our top ten ideas for activities that you can do in your own back garden, nearest park or outdoor green space.

Polesden Lacey

Our work

Student volunteers at Polesden Lacey

Find out how we work with a local partner, NESCOT, to introduce students to principles of basic countryside management.

A family with volunteer room guides in the Saloon at Polesden Lacey, Surrey

Join the team at Polesden Lacey

Making new friends, working in an amazing place and knowing that you're helping a great cause - three fabulous reasons to volunteer at Polesden Lacey.

A view of the Gold Room at Polesden Lacey with the piano in the foreground

Restoring our Steinway Piano

The Steinway piano in the Saloon is part of the life and soul of Polesden, enjoyed by many thousands of visitors each year and played by fabulous volunteer pianists. We’re raising money to restore it to it's former glory.

Polesden Lacey

History

Margaret Greville, the last owner of Polesden Lacey

From a quiet childhood in Scotland, Margaret Greville climbed the social ladder to become one of the most popular socialites in the Edwardian era.

A black and white photo of the future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on the terrace at Polesden Lacey during their honeymoon.

Polesden Lacey's royal honeymoon

Come and explore Polesden Lacey's royal connections. The Duke and Duchess of York, later known as King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, had their honeymoon here. The south terrace, seen here, is just the same today.

Polesden Lacey

Places to stay

The exterior of Garden Cottage, Dorking, Surrey

The Garden Cottage at Polesden Lacey

Stay in our idyllic Garden Cottage, tucked away in a quiet corner of our formal gardens, just past Mrs Greville's Edwardian rose garden.

People sit around a pile of glowing embers

Embers Camping at Polesden Lacey

We've partnered with Embers Camping to offer a unique new camping experience at Polesden Lacey for those who love the outdoors.

Polesden Lacey

Art and collections

Our collections

Explore the objects and works of art we care for at Polesden Lacey on the National Trust Collections website

Search the collections

General

Main car park 200 yards from visitor reception (pay and display; £2 up to 2 hours, £5 all day, free for members and coaches), open 7.30am-7.30pm

Main toilets are located opposite the coffee shop, before visitor reception, and have accessible toilets and baby change facilities

Toilets are also available by the café, and in the grounds (temporary facilities, spring and summer only)

Cowshed Coffee Shop serves coffee, cake, snacks, sandwiches and salads, all to take away. Granary Café serves fresh hot meals, cream teas, as well as cake and coffee.

Shop stocks a variety of homeware, gifts, local crafts and food. Garden shop sells seasonal plants, books and garden accessories.

Dogs on leads are welcome in the pleasure grounds; ask in visitor reception for a dog walking leaflet

Dogs are also welcome under close control on the wider estate and farmland (please be aware of cattle and sheep grazing)

Suitable for school groups

Family

Baby change facilities are available in main toilet block, opposite Cowshed Coffee Shop

Kids’ lunch boxes of 5 items are available to buy in the coffee shop and the café.

Hip seat carriers can be borrowed in the house (due to limited space in the house, buggies are not permitted)

Natural play area in the grounds with beams to balance on, chalkboards to draw on and places to make dens

Borrow binoculars from visitor reception and go wildlife spotting at the bird hide

Picnic benches are located in both Apple Orchard and Home Farm Orchard

Kids' scooters and bikes can be used in the pleasure grounds - just be careful on the sloped pathways and on busier days

Access

Mobility parking 150 yards from visitor facilities, 200 yards from visitor reception; Blue Badge and disabled spaces available

Drop off point 100 yards from visitor facilities

Accessible toilets in main toilet block opposite Cowshed Coffee Shop, and by Granary Café.

Four outdoor transit only wheelchairs and a single seater PMV available from visitor reception (booking essential)

Grounds are partly accessible; loose gravel paths, steps and some uneven terrain. Some visitors may require assistance from their companion.

Three wheelchairs available for use in house (booking essential)

Ramped entrance to house. Ground floor accessible but has small rooms and uneven floors. Stairs only to first floor of house.

Wednesday 8 April

Thursday 9 April

Friday 10 April

Saturday 11 April

Sunday 12 April

Monday 13 April

Tuesday 14 April

	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

Polesden Lacey

Important notice -

More about this place

Coronavirus update

Things to see and do