Pyrford Court !!! Pyrford Court was purchased in 1906 by Lord Iveagh

Mileage

Ripley 2.4 miles, Central London 23 miles, Heathrow Airport 18.4 miles, Gatwick Airport 26.2 miles

Description

It is understood that the land upon which Pyrford Court and its gardens are built was purchased in 1906 by Lord Iveagh (the second Earl of Iveagh) from his father-in-law, the 4th Earl of Onslow. The
central block of the house was started in 1906 to the requirements of Lord Iveagh (then the
Hon. Rupert Guinness) and the design of Mr. Clyde Young. It was built to be a comfortably sized English home and designed in the Georgian style.

In 1911 Lord Iveagh decided to enlarge the accommodation and employed Mr. Hale to design additions in the form of two wings, terraces to the North and South and a bridge to connect the north terrace to the north lawn. The work had already commenced but was held up by the outbreak of the First World War. At the conclusion of the War, it was decided to complete the work that had
been started, albeit it in a slightly modified manner. The result was the East and West wings, the North and South terraces, the Venetian bridge and the swimming pool – all built between 1920
and 1928. During the Second World War after Dunkirk, the house was used by the Headquarters Staff of the 20th Guards Brigade for accommodation and by visiting parties to entertain the troops. In November 1940, HM King George VI inspected the Guards and dined in the Blue Room. Lord and Lady Halifax were regular visitors to Pyrford Court and used the second guest room in the West Wing. Lord Halifax (1881-1959) was Viceroy to India, as well as Foreign Secretary and, later, Ambassador to the USA. Lord Iveagh died in 1967 and shortly afterwards the house contents and some of the sculptures were sold. The house remained empty under a caretaker until it was sold in 1977. Since then parts of the house have been used variously as a residential care home (Pear Tree Ford) as well as solicitors' offices. The gardens have hosted music festivals and there have been classical music performances in the Ballroom. In the 1980s, the house was also used as the location for the first filming of The Omen with Gregory Peck. In 2000 the house was sold again and the current owners have been responsible for turning it back into the comfortable English country family home that it was originally intended to be through an extensive and sympathetic refurbishment programme.

Accommodation

Following its remarkable restoration by the current owners, this landmark house now affords
the comfortable warmth of family living at the same time as offering some hugely impressive
rooms for entertaining and personal enjoyment. Many of these benefit from the amazing, direct
views to the South over the Surrey countryside, or over the manicured gardens to the North.
Being built in the Georgian style, there is a fine balance and symmetry to the house and rooms
of particular note are: The grand galleried Reception Hall with impressive front door looks out over the bridge to the grounds beyond. The brackets, on which Lord Iveagh hung his sculling boat, are still in their original position above the gallery overlooking the hall. It was the craft in which
Lord Iveagh gained his triple crown including the Diamond Challenge Sculls trophy at Henley
Royal Regatta.

The Ballroom with oak stripped floors, large wooden shutters, five additional circular light wells over the large sash windows and French windows leading to the terrace, has a stone Roger Pearson mantel and surround installed around the fireplace creating an excellent focal point for the room amid the panelled walls, dentilled cornicing and ornate ceiling plasterwork. The Library/Games Room has fine plasterwork to the ceiling, decorative wood carving over an enhancing marble mantel and fireplace surround, as well as a galleried Reading Area to complement the extensive book shelves. The ornate wood carvings in the library were brought from Dublin by Lord Iveagh. The original,
bespoke English walnut cornicing and panelling still adorns the room. The outstanding, south-facing Master Bedroom Suite spreads over most of the first floor of the central wing of the house and comprises a study, bedroom, bathroom and sizeable dressing area.
Elsewhere, specially commissioned, original wood carvings and plaster work have been preserved. The West Wing porch as well as the other wood carvings which are features in many parts of the house were executed by Mr. Hawkins of Fulham who worked on the Queen's Doll's House at Windsor Castle.

The murals over the library door and centre wing inside the front door in the Grand Hall are by de
Bruyn (dated 1795) and come from Farmleigh in Dublin (Castle Knock). They were reputed to
have been given to Lord Iveagh's grandfather by a gentleman in settlement of a debt.
Throughout the house, a different style of ceiling can be seen in each of the principal rooms, varying from fine plaster work and beautiful vaulting to panelling and a fresco. This attention to detail is mirrored in the elaborate headwork to columns and pillars, the extraordinary woodwork of the banisters, the marble and stone fireplaces, and the range of cornicing throughout the property. A Crestron system controls lighting in the house as well as air conditioning and music to the main
rooms. Shuttered sash windows are prolific throughout as are tastefully screened radiators.

Gardens & Grounds

The gardens were developed by the Countess of Iveagh (Lady Gwendolen Guinness) in discussion with her friend, Gertrude Jekyll. Although many of the statues and figures that were designed
for the original gardens are no longer there today, the carved pink marble fountain that was designed in Italy from a photograph of one seen in Dubrovnik by Lord Iveagh, is still intact. It is
located in the corner where the two stretches of the wisteria walk pergolas meet in the far North West of the sizeable North lawn. The wisteria at Pyrford Court are an impressive feature
and gardeners come from abroad to view the explosive fronds that faithfully appear every May. Mature cedars and oak trees bound the north lawns, partially bordered by high brick walling
with an attractive lean-to loggia as well as stone plinths and pillars. The formal gardens feature a variety of trained yew bushes, shrub borders, including magnolia and berberis. Orange, fig and
many unusual and interesting plants cover a large section of the south facing perimeter wall, with a separate orchard to the western boundary of the property.

The impressive tree lined driveway leads through the mature grounds to parking areas to the front of the East and West Wings. The North terrace has two ornamental ponds, red and white rose bushes and formal borders. A classical arched bridge with stone paving and ornate balustrading in the Venetian style leads from the North terrace to the North lawns. The Venetian bridge is a single
arch surmounted by carved stone balusters and wrought iron grills. This detail is picked up by the balusters on the south terrace which is laid out with original York stone paving. The keystones and gargoyles for the bridge were carved by Mr. McCrossan of Putney. Mr. McCrossan was also
responsible for carving much of the cornicing inside the house.

Extensive gardens are located to the South of the house, accessed from the principal reception rooms by a large paved terrace area with twin stone steps, flanked with ornamental stone
pillars and wrought iron balustrading. The lawns lead to an open shrubbery with stunning vistas and a variety of heathers which are enclosed by rhododendrons, a cedar tree and Scots pines. Beyond the South lawn are woodland gardens with a large array of trees and plants including rhododendrons and azaleas with spectacular views of the North Downs. The current owners use the forested areas for a range of pursuits including dog walking and quad biking. To the West is a sunken seasonal garden, enclosed by a clipped holly hedge with York stone paving surrounding a central ornamental pond with fountain. A walkway leads through to the Water Garden with a timber
bridge over a stepped stream leading to a pond area with fountain. The area is surrounded by an extensive variety of azaleas, acers, rhododendrons, bamboo and a number of specimen plants and
shrubs. Beyond this area, tucked away in the woodland to the West of the main house, are located three free standing barns of mainly timber construction with concrete floors under felt roofs. These barns are included on the security system of the main house.

An article appeared in Country Life on the property titled "A Garden in the Jekyll tradition" in the 7th May 1964 edition.

Situation

The unique quality and character of this charming estate is beautifully described by an inscription on one of the garden benches, believed to have been crafted for Lady Iveagh: Not Wholly in the Busy World Nor Quite Beyond it Blooms the Garden that I Love.

Pyrford Court occupies a superb elevated position at the end of its own private tree-lined drive with
astonishing, far-reaching southerly views. Pyrford Court is located close to the villages of West Byfleet and Ripley which both provide for everyday requirements. The larger town centres of Woking and Guildford are just over 2 and 7 miles respectively, both with fast mainline rail services to London Waterloo. Communications are excellent: Central London (Knightsbridge) is less than 23 miles by road; both private and commercial airports are within easy reach including Farnborough Airport less than 16 miles away; train services are frequent with a good service to London (from 27
minutes to London Waterloo from Woking and services to stations on the South Coast); comprehensive local shops are at Guildford and there are excellent local restaurants, picturesque
villages and farmers' markets in the surrounding area. It is also close to a number of excellent schools including St. George's Weybridge, Parkside, ACS International, Reeds, Feltonfleet at
Cobham, The Dutch School at Woking, RGS Guildford, Tormead School, Guildford High School and
Charterhouse.

Local amenities in the area include Golf at Wisley, Queenwood, Pyrford, Woking, St George's Hill, Burhill, West Byfleet, West Hill, Worplesdon, Sunningdale, Wentworth, Coombe Hill and Walton
Heath; The Spectrum Leisure Centre in Guildford; Arts at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford and the New Victoria Theatre in Woking; Racing at Sandown Park, Ascot, Windsor, Epsom,
Kempton Park and Lingfield; Polo is available at Guards Polo Club, Hurtwood Park and the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club.

Directions

Leave London southbound on the A3 and take the first exit after crossing over the M25
motorway, signposted to Ockham, Ripley and Send. At the roundabout take the second exit,
towards Woking, Ripley and Send, and continue into Ripley. Continue to the centre of the village
and turn right into Newark Lane, signposted to Pyrford. The entrance to Pyrford Court will be
found after 2.1 miles on the left hand side (opposite Upshott Lane).