History of Polesden Lacey

Expert curated

Close-up view of a relief on an ornamental urn at Polesden Lacey, Surrey, depicting men in uniform. — A relief on an ornamental urn at Polesden Lacey | © National Trust Images / Robert Morris

Polesden Lacey, set amidst the Surrey Hills, is largely the creation of Margaret Greville in the early 20th century. Through inherited wealth and powerful connections, Margaret created a place of luxury and hospitality, with her significant art collections providing a suitably sumptuous backdrop.

Early history

There has been a dwelling on this site since the Middle Ages, but the first substantial manor house was built in 1631 for Anthony Rous (1605–77), a Parliamentarian officer in the British Civil Wars (1642–51). It remained in the Rous family until 1723, after which the estate passed through a series of owners.

18th-century global connections

In 1722–3, Arthur Moore (c. 1666–1730) bought Polesden Lacey. Arthur was a financier and Member of Parliament who held senior government roles including Commissioner of Trade and Plantations and directorships of the Royal Africa Company and the South Sea Company. He was also an investor in the East India Company and Hudson Bay Company, which expanded British colonial interests in Asia and North America.

Arthur ran into financial difficulties towards the end of his life so his younger brother, Colonel Thomas Moore (c. 1669–1735), purchased Polesden Lacey in December 1729 with the proceeds of a sale of £5,000 worth of South Sea Company stock. He also held important roles such as Commander of Queen Anne’s military regiments.

In 1735, Arthur’s son, William Moore (1699–1746), who was also a Member of Parliament, inherited Polesden Lacey. During his time, the estate went into debt and on his death was sold by his executors to Sir Francis Geary (1709–96). Geary was an Admiral who served in the British Navy during the Seven Years’ War with France and Austria (1756–63) and the American War of Independence (1775–83).

A creative home

In 1797, the Anglo-Irish playwright and politician Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751–1816) came to live at Polesden Lacey. His plays include most notably ‘The Rivals’ (1775) and ‘The School for Scandal’ (1777). Sheridan’s command of language saw him recognised as one of the most persuasive orators of the time during his 32 years in Parliament. He adored the house and estate, describing it as 'the nicest place, within a prudent distance of town [London], in England'.

19th-century changes

In 1818, stationer and bookseller Joseph Bonsor (c. 1768–1835) bought the property and commissioned the architect Thomas Cubitt to rebuild it in the fashionable Neo-classical style.

The landowner Sir Walter Farquhar (1810–1900) then owned the property until his death but changed relatively little of Cubitt’s building.

In 1902, the estate was bought by Sir Clinton Dawkins (1859–1905), an ex-colonial civil servant, member of the social group known as The Souls, and business partner of the American banker and financier J. P. Morgan. Clinton used his earnings to employ architect Sir Ambrose Macdonald Poynter to greatly enlarge the building to the size it is today.

A full-length portrait of Margaret McEwan, The Hon. Mrs Ronald Greville (1863-1942) as a young woman, by Emile-Auguste Carolus-Duran, turned slightly to the left, gazing at the spectator, and wearing a large black feathered hat and a deep pink velvet coat. — A painting of Margaret McEwan, The Hon. Mrs Ronald Greville | © National Trust Images / John Hammond

Margaret Greville

Margaret Greville DBE (1863–1942) purchased the Polesden Lacey estate on 22 February 1907, in her sole name. Born Margaret Helen Anderson, she was the daughter of William McEwan (1827–1913) - the Scottish multimillionaire owner of McEwan’s Brewery, Edinburgh - and Helen Anderson (1835/1836–1906). Her father’s fortune provided £80,000 (about £8 million today) to refurbish Polesden Lacey extensively.

Margaret’s husband, Ronald Henry Fulke Greville (1864–1908), was a British politician and landowner. He died a year after she bought Polesden Lacey and never saw the results of the extensive renovations. It was Margaret who went on to create a luxurious rural retreat at Polesden Lacey.

She employed Mewès and Davis, architects of the Ritz hotels in Paris and London, and pre-eminent interior decorating firm White, Allom & Co., to create a setting of cushioned comfort and splendour. The principal rooms represent different historical styles and periods and make extensive use of architectural salvage, including gilded panelling, 18th-century marble fire surrounds and an intricately carved 17th-century church reredos, which were all fitted to create appropriate settings for Margaret Greville’s guests and impressive art collection.

Influential visitors

Margaret Greville requested ‘A room fit to entertain Maharajas in’ and the Saloon was created for this purpose. Visitors included Sir Winston Churchill, Queen Mary, Sayajirao Gaekwad III, the Maharaja of Baroda and Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji, the Maharaja of Nawanagar. In the 1930s, she also entertained Joachim von Ribbentrop, the German ambassador to Britain and senior Nazi politician.

In 1923, the future George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) honeymooned at Polesden Lacey. Elizabeth commented about Margaret that, ‘She was so shrewd, so kind and so amusingly unkind, so sharp, such fun, so naughty.' Margaret left her exceptional jewellery collection to the British royal family, including pieces still worn at State occasions today.

The Duke and Duchess of York, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, while on their honeymoon at Polesden Lacey, Surrey — The Duke and Duchess of York, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, while on their honeymoon at Polesden Lacey | © National Trust/ Richard Holttum

The art collection

Margaret created an impressive art collection at Polesden Lacey. She acquired internationally significant British and European paintings, adding to her father’s collection of Dutch 17th-century paintings. Her ceramics collection includes important East Asian and European examples, dating from the 7th to 20th centuries.

The sculpture displayed at Polesden Lacey parallels that of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, USA, which Margaret visited in 1909. In a letter to Isabella, Margaret wrote: ‘How can I tell you how much real pleasure you gave me today, as I try to write the remembrance of the beauties & [your] perfect home.'

The collection is particularly rich in silver, jade, enamel boxes, and hardstone carvings by 20th-century makers, such as Fabergé and Cartier. Many of the pieces were gifts, suggesting Margaret and her friends engaged in a culture of high-end shopping and reciprocal gift-giving. Photographs were among these gifts; Margaret kept many studio portraits of herself, friends, family and her beloved pet dogs.

Photographs were among such gifts too, and Margaret kept many studio portraits of friends and family alongside images of beloved pets, travels and herself.

Portrait painting by Johann Zoffany — Painting of Eva Maria Veigel by Johann Zoffany, at Polesden Lacey | © National Trust Images/John Hammond

The garden

The earliest features of the garden include Admiral’s Walk and the Long Walk, created in the 18th century. The peak of the garden design was during Margaret’s time in the 1920s with lavish horticultural displays including the herbaceous borders and rose garden, designed by Pulham and Cheals of Crawley.

The significant sculptural collection also forms a key element of the garden. Margaret chose to be buried in a monumental stone tomb in the garden at Polesden Lacey, a short distance from where 17 of her pet dogs also rest.

‘Cushioned comfort’

Margaret Greville employed skilled staff who ensured the smooth running of Polesden Lacey and her London house. Everyone played their part, from the hall boy, the groom, the gardener, the highly qualified French chef, the personal secretary, the golf pro and the ever-present Mr Frank Bole, House Steward. Frank worked for Margaret for 42 years and on her death, she left him £1,000, an annuity of £500 and her modern silver.

Margaret Greville’s legacy

In 1922, Margaret was awarded a Damehood of the Order of the British Empire (DBE), but she rarely used her title and is reputed to have said she would ‘rather be a beeress than a peeress.’ Margaret died at the Dorchester Hotel, London, in 1942 at the height of the Second World War. She bequeathed Polesden Lacey and its collections to the National Trust in memory of her father, ‘for the largest number of people to have enjoyment.'

Polesden Lacey today

Following Margaret’s death, the National Trust opened the house and estate to visitors. Alterations were made to the upper floor interiors for accommodation and offices. A fire in 1960 also led to significant rebuilding of the interior. Recent conservation projects include a rolling programme to redecorate the exterior facades of the house and refurbish the clock tower.