British mansion: Polsden Lacey - where the Queen Mother honeymooned

Polsden Lacey's fame comes not so much from the success of its architecture or the allure of its sumptuous Edwardian interiors as from its most notorious owner, Lady Greville, who The entertainment of British society stars is legendary. The existing Regency Palace is located in Surrey, England. It was rebuilt by Lady Greville in 1906 with the main purpose of creating a space suitable for the entertainment of the King and Queen. In 1923, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth spent their honeymoon here, which was undoubtedly a great pleasure for Mrs. Greville. Some important facts about Polsten Lacey. In 1336, the first house built on the site of Polsden Lacey was built. The word "Polsden" is believed to be Saxon in origin. In 1906, William McEwan purchased the estate for his daughter and her husband, the Honorable Captain Ronald Greville. Polsden Lacey was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1942 by Lady Margaret Greville. History of the House

The first medieval house was built on the site of Polsden Lacey, purchased and rebuilt in 1630 by Anthony Ross. The next known owner was the famous Georgian poet and playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan, who bought the house in 1804, only for it to be demolished by Joseph Blanchot in 1824, Belgla It was completely rebuilt by Thomas Cubitt, the builder of Via. Next, the property was sold to a man named Sir Waler Rockcliff Farquhar. When Farquhar died in 1902, the house briefly passed into the hands of civil servant Sir Clinton Edward Dawkins before being purchased by William McEwan.

Now, in 1906, Polsten Lacey was finally able to open its doors and spread its wings, resurrecting itself in a lavish and intimate social event said to have attracted prime ministers, ministers and politicians from all over the world. Celebrities and heads of state. But first, Polsden must transform itself into a lavish setting suitable for the kind of exclusive gathering Mrs. Greville has planned.

Lady Greville inherited a substantial fortune amassed by her father, William McEwan, owner of the Scoish McEwan brewery company Founder and owner, Lady Greville hired architects Mawes & Davies, famous for designing the Ritz Hotel, to transform the interior of Polsden Lacey Hotel to reflect her social status.

The exterior of the house, which dates from Cubitt's reconstruction in 1821, is a neoclassical design with the appearance of a seaside house perched on the edge of a steep slope surrounding There is a big park. The interior of the house is pure Edwardian decadence. The drawing room is a magnificent masterpiece of gilding, mirrors and velvet carvings, while the great dining room boasts a collection of National Trust treasures, including portraits of British artists Raeburn, Lawrence and Reynolds. In the barrel-vaulted Jacobean gallery hang works by De Hook and Van Goyen, as well as a larger-than-life portrait of Madame Greville herself by Carlos Duran. Each of Polsden Lacey's reception rooms and galleries is decorated with stunning furniture, silver, china and paintings, and the library is as lovely as Lady Greville's study, which houses the Masons and Furstenberg collection. Ge Oriental tea boy.

Unfortunately, Mr. Ronald Greville did not live to enjoy it until his death just two years after he bought Polsden Lacey. Margaret Greville did not enter a long period of private and public mourning, as Queen Victoria did more than 50 years later. Instead, her social activities increased, and over the next 30 years she became One of the most famous hostesses of this era.

In 1923, George VI and Queen Elizabeth accepted Margaret's invitation to honeymoon at Polsden Lacey, and the house occupied a favorable position in the British public imagination and was featured in newspapers. A large feature article with photos.

Polsden Lacey has been part of the National Trust since 1942 and has been extensively restored since 1995. Visitors to Polsden Lacey 2012-2013