Ashridge House and Gardens
I got really lucky this week with a visit to Ashridge House. It was an offsite meeting so while a link to the house was sent before hand, I really didnt expect the house and the area around it to be so beautiful.
Frankly the overnight trip, which involved being in meeting rooms most of the time did not do justice to the place and I need to figure out a way to visit again:-). The area around the house is with the National Trust so that can be easily arranged - the trick is to get into the house and the gardens.
Ashridge has history! It started with the Monks building a monastery and digging a 90 feet well to supply the water and today it houses a business school! The house is currently managed by a government trust. In between it was owned by the royal family and aristocracy none less than Henry VIII (I am attaching a link to the history rather than me writing it again).
The house is about 40 miles from London and its better to take the train to Berkhamsted rather than take the coach that we took from St Pancras, which took 1.5 hours. Phew!
But as you drive in you see how beautiful and grand the house is. With a cantilever staircase in the entrance hall that has stood the test of time so it’s stable - I guess! It’s a good venue for weddings with the bride coming down the stairs. The main drawing room has 2 fireplaces and we had our evening dinner here. The story goes that the 4 statues of handsome men are of the gardener's who worked for the family when it was built and was based on those in the Doge's place, Venice ( this is now called the Lady Marion Alford room after the lady who redecorated this room in Italian style)You can rent this room or the library or both for private events. The conservatory at some stage was converted to another room where the glass ceiling was replaced and windows made slightly smaller
The real treat are the gardens! We didn't have enough time to see the gardens which are grade 2 registered and over 190 acres. Designed by Humphry Repton for the 7th Earl of Bridgewater, these are really 15 gardens linked together by walksI walked around the house with a colleague to see some bits but really need to go back again to explore the gardens.
If you get an opportunity to go visit this garden specially from April to September then dont miss it and for folks visiting from overseas - do step out of London and the usual Cotlswold, Cornwall circuit and see what more the UK has to offer.
Writing this I realized one way I could go is to do a course at the business school! This is the extent I am prepared to go to - to visit this place again ;-)
https://www.ashridgehouse.org.uk/the-house/
