The house at Leith Hill Place

Published:: 07 April 2024

View of front exterior of Leith Hill Place, with pink rhododendrons along the drive and a bright pink door. — Welcome to Leith Hill Place | © National Trust/Richard Knapp

Step inside Leith Hill Place, a welcoming home from home nestled in the Surrey Hills. Childhood home of one of England’s greatest composers Ralph Vaughan Williams, Leith Hill is a place of creativity and inspiration. Leith Hill Place is open every weekend and bank holiday from Sat 5 April until Sun 2 November.

'Refuge'

This year at Leith Hill Place we will be focusing on the theme of 'refuge', whether it be in nature, art or music. With stunning photos on display from Dorking Camera Club and poems from Mole Valley poets, you are invited to step away from the busy-ness of the world and seek peace and beauty in this welcoming home nestled in the landscape.

From May, there will also be an exhibition in the study, celebrating the role Ralph Vaughan Williams played in setting up and chairng the Dorking and District Refugee committee during the Second World War.

Photographic Exhibition

This year we have teamed up with Dorking Camera Club, a local club with photographers ranging from novices to Members of the Royal Photographic Society. The stunning exhibition entitled Enchanted Woodlands, has on display over seventy photographs that can be enjoyed within the house running the whole open season. Photographs are available for purchase; details are available at the house or here.

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The Kitchen

A visit to Leith Hill Place wouldn’t be the same without a homemade cream tea from the Kitchen. All our cakes are freshly baked on site from the original kitchens and taste even better when relaxing on on the terrace with its far-reaching views over the Weald.

The Kitchen is open 11am-4pm and serves:

Filter coffee
Pots of tea
A selection of freshly baked cakes and bakes
Soup of the day and chunky bread
Crisps
Cold drinks
Jude's ice cream tubs for both humans and dogs

Please note: dogs on leads are very welcome in the seated areas both inside and outside the hous, but not in the kitchen.

The Library@LHP

Visit the beautifully panelled second-hand bookshop with its wide selection of fiction and non-fiction books, as well as some interesting and rare specimens. Why not pick up a bargain and then dwell a while on a cosy sofa in the library, or find your quiet space on the terrace and lose yourself in a good book.

A man, two children and a dog walk up the front steps to enter Leith Hill Place, Surrey. The photo is taken from inside the double doors inside — Visitors entering the Hall at Leith Hill Place, Surrey. | © National Trust Images/John Miller

For Families

Leith Hill Place is a great place to bring the whole family including the four-legged members. Why not combine it with a trip up Leith Hill Tower? Or just come along and enjoy games on the lawn or relax in the library with a good book. We've also got storytelling sessions for little ones on selected Saturday mornings and events throughout the year.

Storytelling at Leith Hill Place

Dogs at Leith Hill Place

Well-behaved dogs on short leads are welcome at Leith Hill Place. You'll find water bowls in the courtyard and just inside the front door and dog (and human) ice cream is available to buy from the Kitchen.

A female violinist and a female harpist playing in front of a stained glass window with the light streaming through — Hear Aoife Ní Bhriain and Catrin Finch perform at Leith Hill Place | © Jennie Caldwell

Events at Leith Hill Place

With a packed programme of events throughout the summer, there's so much to see and do at Leith Hill Place. From free guided walks and tea-time talks, to children's storytelling, art workshops and amospheric concerts in the house, find out what's coming up this season.

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Vaughan Williams’ piano

In the study you’ll find the little piano on which famous composer Ralph Vaughan Williams wrote many of his famous works. The piano was used to write compositions including 'The Lark Ascending', which has been named the nation’s favourite piece of classical music.

The piano, a Broadwood with a model name of ‘Honeysuckle’, dates from 1903 and was bought second-hand by Vaughan Williams in 1905. He kept the instrument close to hand through his most productive and important years.

The piano remained in the Williams family for many years until recently. It has been restrung and fitted with a new tuning plank so that the piano can once again be played.

Vaughan Williams’ piano was kindly donated to Leith Hill Place in 2016 by Frances Rhodes (niece of Ursula Vaughan Williams, the composer’s widow) and is now on permanent display at Leith Hill Place.

Whether you start or finish your walk here, rest in between, or make this your destination for a great day out, come through Leith Hill Place's doors and be inspired by the landscape around. Maybe compose some music, poetry, draw, paint or just take time to relax, slow down and soak up the far-reaching views across the Weald to the South Downs.

The composer must not shut himself up and think about art, he must live with his fellows and make his art an expression of the whole life of the community