Ashdown House

Ashdown House is a Dutch-style country mansion built in the 17th century, featuring a striking central staircase and multiple reception rooms arranged across the principal floors. The property contains eight bedrooms and displays period-appropriate furnishings and finishes throughout.

William, First Earl of Craven, commissioned architect William Winde to design this mansion in 1662 as both a hunting lodge and a retreat during plague years. The building served the family through centuries of English rural life and social change.

The house bears the name of its original resident Elizabeth of Bohemia, known as the Winter Queen and sister of King Charles I. Her connection to the property shaped how the family understood their own standing and position.

The house is accessed via country lanes that wind through the surrounding parkland, so visitors should expect rural conditions underfoot. There are limited parking facilities nearby and stairs provide access to all levels of the property.

Four historic riding avenues converge at the house site and once served as a viewing platform for observing hunts across the surrounding lands. These paths remain visible today and continue to structure how visitors move through the park.

Location: Ashbury

Inception: 1662

Operator: National Trust

Website: https://nationaltrust.org.uk/ashdown

GPS coordinates: 51.53620,-1.59630

Latest update: December 7, 2025 20:40