Surrey


<p>Behind those slightly timeworn walls lies a house full of stories &#8211; and the Nooks &amp; Crannies tour is the key to unlocking them. Think hidden corners, unexpected details and a few “wait, what?” moments along the way.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-where">WHAT? WHERE?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-Credit-RICHARD-LEWISOHN.jpg" alt="West Horsley Place, near Leatherhead in Surrey." class="wp-image-65262" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-Credit-RICHARD-LEWISOHN.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-Credit-RICHARD-LEWISOHN-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-Credit-RICHARD-LEWISOHN-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-Credit-RICHARD-LEWISOHN-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-Credit-RICHARD-LEWISOHN-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">West Horsley Place near Leatherhead. <em>Image credit: Richard Lewisohn</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Tucked away in the Surrey Hills near Leatherhead, <a href="https://westhorsleyplace.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">West Horsley Place</a> is a Grade I-listed medieval manor house set within five acres of gardens and a wider 380-acre historic estate. It’s a house with stories in every corner &#8211; and plenty it’s still not quite giving up.</p>



<p>Dating back to 1425, the house is layered with stories, intrigue and centuries of character. If those walls could talk, they’d have a lot to say.</p>



<p>You’ll find it just off the A246 between Leatherhead and Guildford, around a 10-minute drive from the M25/A3 junction. There’s a large on-site car park, and happily, it’s free.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-tour-amp-the-people">THE TOUR &amp; THE PEOPLE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-94.jpeg" alt="The Nooks and Crannies Tour at West Horsley Place, near Leatherhead in Surrey." class="wp-image-65264" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-94.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-94-800x800.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-94-1000x1000.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-94-400x400.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-94-768x768.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-94-500x500.jpeg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-94-1100x1100.jpeg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>The <a href="https://westhorsleyplace.org/whats-on/nooks-crannies-guided-group-manor-house-tour" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nooks &amp; Crannies Tour</a> lasts around two hours and is led by brilliantly knowledgeable volunteer guides (Denise and Kathleen on the day I went), who bring the house to life with stories, details and more than a few juicy revelations. </p>



<p>Over the centuries, the house has passed through some seriously notable hands &#8211; from the de Berners, Courtenays and Westons to Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe.</p>



<p>Perhaps the biggest name of all? Henry VIII, who owned the estate for around eight years and is said to have used it as a favoured hunting base.</p>



<p>The guest list over the years reads like a who’s who of British history. Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell and Catherine Parr all visited during Henry VIII’s time, while Elizabeth I was a regular, dropping in no fewer than six times when the house belonged to her friend Elizabeth Fitzgerald. Even Guy Fawkes had a stint here, working as a servant in the 1590s.</p>



<p>Then there’s Carew Raleigh, son of Walter Raleigh, who arrived with his father’s embalmed head in tow (yes, really &#8211; the red velvet bag still survives). Fast forward a few centuries and the guestbook includes Ian Fleming and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, who were among those attending glamorous weekend house parties.</p>



<p>In the 20th century, under Lord and Lady Crewe, the house saw lavish 1930s entertaining before serving a very different role, housing Canadian troops during World War II.</p>



<p>Today, it’s in the care of the West Horsley Place Trust, founded by Bamber Gascoigne, who unexpectedly inherited the estate in 2014.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-house">THE HOUSE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1125" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-93.jpeg" alt="The Nooks and Crannies Tour at West Horsley Place, near Leatherhead in Surrey." class="wp-image-65261" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-93.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-93-800x600.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-93-1000x750.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-93-400x300.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-93-768x576.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>If you want to properly explore the nooks and crannies of the house, this tour is the only way in &#8211; and once you’re on it, you’ll see why.</p>



<p>This place is old &#8211; properly, gloriously old. When Bamber Gascoigne inherited it in 1914, it reportedly needed close to £10m of restoration. It’s come a long way since then, but is still very much a work in progress &#8211; and that’s part of the magic.</p>



<p>Nothing is overly polished. Floorboards creak and dip, rugs are worn, walls are lined with original coverings (silk in some rooms), and the artwork is quietly extraordinary. There’s a slightly fragile, timeworn feel &#8211; history unfolding in real time (it’s also currently on Historic England’s ‘Heritage at Risk’ register).</p>



<p>I won’t spoil the secrets, but expect some brilliant stories along the way &#8211; including the one about Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and a <em>very</em> lavish 35-course feast (you’ll find out what was on the menu).</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-06.jpeg" alt="The Nooks and Crannies Tour at West Horsley Place, near Leatherhead in Surrey." class="wp-image-65255" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-06.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-06-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-06-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-06-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-06-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>The tour moves through rooms spanning different eras &#8211; from the atmospheric Stone Hall to Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe’s sitting room, the book-filled library, the elegant first-floor drawing room and even the Tudor kitchens.</p>



<p>Outside, don’t miss the Grade II-listed brick dog kennels, once home to two deerhounds named Dersy and Dermid, who apparently didn’t get like each other much.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-gardens">THE GARDENS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-20.jpeg" alt="The Nooks and Crannies Tour at West Horsley Place, near Leatherhead in Surrey." class="wp-image-65257" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-20.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-20-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-20-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-20-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-20-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>While not officially part of the tour, you’re free to wander the gardens &#8211; and you should.</p>



<p>The walled garden is a lovely mix of formal structure and relaxed planting. Box hedges hint at Tudor origins (records show extensive work during Henry VIII’s time), while the simpler layout reflects the post-war years when resources were stretched.</p>



<p>Today, a dedicated team of volunteers is gradually restoring and reimagining the space, including the rose garden and new planting along the historic Serpentine Wall.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-anything-else">ANYTHING ELSE?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/Film-Enola-Holmes.jpg" alt="Enola Holmes (2020)" class="wp-image-65263" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/Film-Enola-Holmes.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/Film-Enola-Holmes-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/Film-Enola-Holmes-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/Film-Enola-Holmes-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/Film-Enola-Holmes-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>If it all feels a bit cinematic, that’s because it is. <em>Ghosts</em> fans will instantly recognise it as Button House, while it’s also appeared in <em>Enola Holmes</em>, <em>Mothering Sunday</em>, <em>My Cousin Rachel</em>, <em>Vanity Fair</em> and <em>The Crown</em>, among others.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scoff-amp-quaff">SCOFF &amp; QUAFF</h2>



<p>There’s no permanent café just yet, but a pop-up café runs most days in Place Farm Barn courtyard. Alternatively, bring a picnic and make the most of the setting.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kid-friendly">KID-FRIENDLY?</h2>



<p>Leave the kids^ The tour is fairly long and detail-heavy, so younger ones may lose interest.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dog-friendly">DOG-FRIENDLY?</h2>



<p>Sadly, not here &#8211; dogs aren’t permitted.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-disability-access">DISABILITY ACCESS</h2>



<p>The ground floor is accessible for wheelchair users, with an accessible loo available. Do note that surfaces are uneven in places (stone floors and original boards), and access to the first floor is via two historic staircases with handrails, but no lift.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-10.jpeg" alt="The Nooks and Crannies Tour at West Horsley Place, near Leatherhead in Surrey." class="wp-image-65256" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-10.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-10-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-10-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-10-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/04/West-Horsley-Place-2026-AE-10-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p><strong>Good for:</strong> History lovers, curious minds and anyone who enjoys a proper behind-the-scenes peek. Also perfect for fans of <em>Ghosts</em> or anyone who loves a house with stories (and secrets).</p>



<p><strong>Not for:</strong> Those after a polished, glossy heritage experience &#8211; this is beautifully imperfect and all the better for it.</p>



<p><strong>The damage:</strong> The <a href="https://westhorsleyplace.org/whats-on/nooks-crannies-guided-group-manor-house-tour" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nooks &amp; Crannies Tour</a> is £24 per adult, available on select days. Other tours are also available including <a href="https://westhorsleyplace.org/whats-on/filming-favourites" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Filming Favourites</a><a href="https://westhorsleyplace.org/whats-on/nooks-crannies-guided-group-manor-house-tour-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> and Tudor Traces</a>. Booking is a must. <br>A <a href="https://westhorsleyplace.org/whats-on?date_start=null&amp;date_end=null&amp;sort=Latest%20Events&amp;page=1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">programme of events</a> takes place throughout the year including Hosting Henry VII, a living history festival in July; Saxon Saga, a living history and fire festival in October;  and Crewe&#8217;s Christmas, a living history and immersive ballet experience in December.</p>



<p><strong><em><a href="https://westhorsleyplace.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">West Horsley Place</a>, Epsom Road, West Horsley, Surrey, KT24 6AN</em></strong></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-want-more">WANT MORE?</h2>



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Review: the Nooks & Crannies tour at West Horsley Place

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