A Day at Stratfield Saye

Enjoy an exclusive private tour of Stratfield Saye House to include the Stables exhibition, a Funeral Car talk, and Copenhagen’s grave.

Discover Stratfield Saye House, the home of the Dukes of Wellington since 1817. The main part of the house was built around 1630 by Sir William Pitt, the Comptroller of the Household to James I. During the 18th century, extensive work was undertaken to the house and surrounding parkland and the estate was acquired by the 1st Duke of Wellington, known as the Great Duke or later, the Iron Duke, in 1817 following his victory at Waterloo two years earlier. He proceeded to make further additions and improvements to the house adding a conservatory in 1838 and the outer wings in 1846. He also added central heating and elegant and sound-proofed water-closets in many rooms. The house contains a fascinating collection of paintings and furniture purchased by the Great Duke with many mementos of his life at his country home. The floor of the main entrance hall contains Roman mosaic pavements, excavated by the 2nd Duke in 1866, from the Romano-British town of nearby Silchester. The Library, probably designed and decorated by William Kent is unchanged since the death of the Grand Duke in 1852 and the Music Room remains a shrine to his mount at Waterloo, Copenhagen. 

Our tour will include the principal ground floor rooms and some bedrooms. We will learn about the Great Duke's funeral and view his magnificent Funeral Carriage, housed in the Wellington Exhibition which charts his entire military and political career which included a two year stint as Prime Minister. There will be time to explore the surrounding Estate which includes the formal and walled gardens, extensive parkland down to the River Loddon, and Copenhagen's grave.

Tickets £48 including tea/coffee with biscuits on arrival, a light lunch at the Estate and tea with cake in the afternoon