I hope I’m not peaking too soon but with the latest lockdown announcements it seems we can go out a bit more and a little further afield, and even meet up to 6 people. So with that in mind I thought it was time to share a Quiet London destination. Its been a while.
I think most of us have needed somewhere we could escape to whether physically or simply in our minds in recent weeks. Chiswick House and Gardens has been one of mine. It is somewhere I am lucky enough to live quite close to. So visiting it early in the morning has been a feature of my lockdown in the last couple of weeks. Of course the house isn’t currently open but the park and gardens are and they are really rather beautiful. They have provided some much valued quiet and calm in these turbulent times.
The History
In the heart of the gardens is the large house. Elegant and white and neo palladian in style, it sits proudly amongst a large area of clearly well loved grounds. The house has stood on this spot since 1682. Of course it has gone through a number of changes and owners in that time.
From 1753 to 1929, the house belonged to the Devonshire Family who at various times remodelled and built onto it. When it was sold to Middlesex County Council in 1929, much of the contents were already being stored at Chatsworth House and still remain their today. In 1948 the new owners the Ministry of Works carried out much restoration to restore the house and gardens to their original size and design. Today it is owned by an independent trust, Chiswick House and Gardens Trust who work with the London Borough of Hounslow and English Heritage Trust to preserve it and it continues to undergo much important and impressive restoration. There have been many very well done restoration in recent years.
Famous Visitors
The guest list at Chiswick reads like a very impressive who’s who. It seems that anyone who was anyone visited at some time during its history, including Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and Handel. When Georgina Duchess of Devonshire was in residence she was renowned for hosting parties and political breakfasts attended by the movers and shakers of the fashion and political world at the time. The Beatle also visited in the 1960’s. Seeking respite after a world tour, they shot promotional videos for ‘Paperback Writer’ and ‘Rain’ in the Conservatory, and grounds.
Famous visitors still come today, often in the form of musicians and actors who deliver some wonderful out door concerts and theatre during the summer months. A happy memory for me from last summer was sitting on the lawn on a perfect summers evening enjoying the out door cinema. Sadly not this year.
The Gardens
The large gardens are a perfect mixture of wild and woodland combined with more formally presented flower beds. There is a lake on which swans and their signets take centres stage, an impressive bridge and lots of paths to wander through at will.
There are many different areas to the garden, indeed something for every one. An area of the garden which is more formal is The Exedra. A semi-circular hedge of dark yew trees, which form a dramatic backdrop to Lord Burlington’s sculpture collection. I feel sure that behind their closed expressions, these somber men are casting aspersions and engaging in gossip about the visitors who like me can never resist having a closer look
Chiswick house and gardens is a well loved local spot. Regulars and locals walk dogs here, buy ice creams and sit by the stream. Tourists who venture here from other parts of London or indeed the country soon love it too, recognising it for what it really is, a beautifully kept, quiet London treasure.
Another part of the ground, houses the orange tree garden and ionic temple. A calm, still pool of water sits in front of it with an obelisk in its centre. This is a particularly peaceful view and very photogenic!
To the right hand side is a tomb with a Latin inscription, which begins: ‘Under this stone lies Lilly, my dear hound…’. It is thought that the dog may have belonged to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire.
The area around the lake is one of my favourite areas, irises are beautiful right now and it leads around to a cooling waterfall which has recently been restored to its former 18th century glory. The multitude of green and verdant vegetation makes this a cooling place to walk when the sun becomes just a little too strong.
If your taste in gardens is on the wild side then the The Wilderness is the area for you. In 18th century gardens it was fashionable to have a more wild area. There are a series of gentle paths through the woodland here, which in the summer casts beautiful golden light illuminating the cow parsley and naturalistic planting of trees and shrubs.
The Conservatory
The conservatory was built originally in in 1813, and was designed by the architect Samuel Ware (who later designed the Burlington Arcade, Piccadilly) At 300ft long, it was one of the earliest large glass houses to be built. This is a striking feature of the gardens and although closed at the moment, it is something to very much look forward to in the future. It houses 2 camellias, both over 200 years old and a real sight to behold in early spring. Something to look forward to next year. We have been peering through the windows at the brightly coloured and very healthy looking geraniums also housed inside.
In front of the conservatory is the Italian Garden, a formal collection of symmetrical flower beds surrounded by stone urns.
Of course early summer is a beautiful time to visit any garden, but right now as Chiswick garden is filled with the scent of roses and the particular freshness and promise which this time of year brings, it is just about perfect.
Extras
Rather fabulously, the cafe is open for take away coffee and cakes from 8am which is excellent for the early risers amongst us. Obviously the public conveniences aren’t so take it easy on the caffeine
Despite its closeness to busy roads and rail networks, Chiswick house and Garden has retained its sense of seclusion and peacefulness. Whether in lockdown or normal times this is beautiful place to return to again and again to find quiet, calm the mind, absorb the beauty of the natural world and restore harmony and equilibrium.
Getting there
Nearest train station: Chiswick
13 minute walk to the Burlington Lane Gate
Nearest Tube
Turnham Green on the District Line
If you are driving, the car park will be open from 1st June.
I love Chiswick House and Gardens too! I spent many a happy hour there walking and waiting for Esther when she was having her pottery lessons! xx
Author
We must meet there for a socially distanced walk. I do love it there. x
Simon’s second home (he was brought up exactly opposite the lake at the Park Road end. ). There isn’t an inch that he doesn’t know like the back of his hand. We actually met friends there this week and had a socially distanced picnic on the cricket pitch in glorious sunshine. Fabulous photos xx
Author
We always think of you both where we are there. It is such a lovely place to be. xx
How jolly for Simon. That’s made my day.