Ham House and The National Trust

It started with toilet roll and pasta, then it was flour.  Now its National Trust Tickets.  Any one who has been fortunate enough to secure themselves National Trust tickets since the NT started reopening its properties a few short weeks ago should give themselves a very generous pat on the back.

Perhaps an over used phrase, but the National Trust really is a British Institution, and one I have happily been a member of for many years.  Visiting the lovingly cared for houses, gardens and stretches of coastline is one of life’s joy’s.  I am by nature a bit nosy, I love to be outside and as I get older I am increasingly interested in history, so all of this makes the various offerings of the NT the perfect day out for me.  If you have read these pages for a while you will have come across many of the National Trust places I love to visit.

So when the announcement came that the NT was reopening a selected number of places on a ticket only basis, I beat a hasty path to the website to make some plans.  Some time later, frustrated and without the coveted golden ticket I beat a hasty retreat back again.  This pattern continued for a couple of weeks until hallelujah, my tenacious husband managed to secure tickets for Ham House, a mere 30min drive from where we live, and on a Saturday morning too.

Ham House, The History

Me and Ham House have history.  Many, many years ago, as a newly wed I lived in Twickenham on the other side of the River Thames from Ham House.  A regular summer jaunt was to get the ferry (read very small boat) across the river and then picnic in the grounds of Ham House.  At that time it was free to enter.  On one of those rare balmy summers evenings it seemed we had outstayed our welcome, as when we came to leave by our usual route, the main gate, it was firmly padlocked shut.  We were marooned within the grounds of Ham House.  Not a bad place to be marooned you might think, but we clearly thought otherwise.  After several disbelieving tries on the gates and circuits of the grounds we reluctantly accepted we were well and truly locked in.  We had little choice but to scale the fence.  We hauled our picnic paraphernalia behind us, and after an ungainly leg up managed an undignified scramble over the unforgiving pointy railings until we were free!

The Real History

This time we entered, and exited through the main gate rather than over it.  The gates to Ham House are in fact almost as imposing as the house itself.  I’m not sure its a particularly pretty house but it is statuesque and as I’ve said, without doubt imposing.  I imagine this very much suited the purpose for which it was built.  Constructed in 1610 it was transformed into.  a place of luxury and grandeur for the courtier and friend of the royals, William Murray, and his family.

A tumultuous civil war commenced in 1642 during which time the staunch royalist William had to leave the house in the hands of his wife and young family. The years that followed saw some difficult times for the Murrays while  the young king Charles was exiled in France and Cromwell ruled.  Thankfully William’s clever daughter Elizabeth maintained relations with  Charles so that when he was restored to power in 1660 she took ownership and once again turned the house into a place of luxury and lavish entertaining.

She remarried Duke of Lauderdale in 1642, a key member of the royal circle.  As a dynamic and powerful couple they gathered exotic furnishings and transformed Ham House into one of the grandest Stuart houses in England filled with elaborate paintings and furniture.

Of course the house remains closed to visitors at the moment but when it does reopen its doors,  be prepared to be drawn in to a glorious world of late 17th century luxury

The Gardens

Immediately you enter the gates and take on the coveted title of National trust visitor, you realise you are in for quite a treat.  For just behind the ticket tent is the hornbeam arch, a tree lined, leafy green tunnel,  which runs along side the most beautifully ordered garden of lavender beds bordered by carefully clipped box hedges.  Its a real ‘gasp out loud’ moment when you see it for the first time. So unexpected and such a contrast to what most of us have been looking at in recent months.   The purple of the lavender, stand out against the grand red brick house which forms the back drop. We also had it all to ourselves for a while which was bliss!

In complete contrast to the formality of the box hedges are areas of wild flower meadows, and grasses.  This is a lovely tranquil area and I imagine very pretty in the early morning sunlight.  The kitchen garden within the sturdy walls of Ham house is large and well stocked.  I’m not a vegetable grower but I’m always impressed by neat rows of purple topped beetroot, bushy heads of carrots and tangles of courgettes.  The kitchen garden here is filled with healthy vegetables and a tangle of trailing sweet peas, along side flowers such as dahlias, snapdragons,  cornflowers, marigolds and some sweet smelling roses

During normal times a combination of over 80 gardners and volunteers maintain the gardens at Ham, during lockdown it was reduced to just 3 gardners. So, unsurprisingly the gardens are a little wilder than usual and not as well maintained.  However they have retained their charm and are a lovely place in which to wander.  And of course those lavender beds are worth the visit alone.

Extras

The toilets are open.  A statement which should be delivered with a fanfare I feel.  I’m sure i’m not the only one who has become obsessed with where I will be able to go to the loo since lockdown restrictions have begun lifting. However, as one would expect from the NT, their toilets are not only open, but they are spotlessly clean with appropriate safety measures in place.  All hail the National Trust.

The Cafe is open too, albeit with a restricted menu, but, coffee, scones and brownies were sampled and can be recommended  Set at one end of the walled garden the out door seating area overlooks the  flower and vegetable plots making a very nice place to sit and while away the time. And because the toilets are open (did I mention that!), you can drink as much tea and coffee as you want.

In these uncertain times a visit to Ham House felt reassuringly safe and familiar

Securing Tickets

Tickets go on sale on the National Trust website at 10am on a Friday morning for a week in advance.  Perfect for those that don’t have anywhere to be at that time, or who happen to be sitting poised in front of a computer, but for me this just doesn’t work, which is where my issue with the ticketing system comes.  However I hear more tickets are starting to be released at other times during the week too so it pays to keep an eye on the website.  Other wise set all alarms for 9.55am Friday Morning and ensure your hand is hovering over your mouse!

I also have to say the NT booking system is not the most intuitive, so it pays to be familiar with how it works before logging on in anticipation on Friday morning.  Good luck!

Getting ThereHam House

The nearest tube is Richmond on the district line which is 1 1/2miles away.

The 371 or 65 bus routes stop nearby,

There is a carpark although its not vast and I imagine gets pretty busy during peak times

Other wise enjoy a walk along the Thames path to get there.