South East - Buckinghamshire

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WADDESDON MANOR

Waddesdon, nr Aylesbury,
Buckinghamshire
HP18 0JH
t: 01296 653226
e: kim.hallett@waddesdon.org.uk
w: www.waddesdon.org.uk/

Once the country home of the Rothschilds this Renaissance-style château houses one of the finest collections of French 18th-century decorative arts in the world. The Victorian garden has a parterre, aviary, seasonal displays, walks, fountains, statuary and with shops, restaurants and a plant centre Waddesdon makes a memorable day out for everyone.


The 45 rooms on view combine the highest quality French furniture and decorative arts from the 18th century, with superb English portraits and Dutch Old Masters. The Victorian garden is considered one of the finest in Britain, with its parterre, seasonal displays, fountains and statuary. At its heart lies the aviary, stocked with speciesonce part of Baron Ferdinand’s collection. There is a contemporary art gallery in the Coach House at the Stables.

Note: to visit the house, a grounds ticket must be purchased. All visitors require a timed ticket for the house; there are a limited number and these do sell out on busy days, especially weekends and throughout December. Groups must be paid for in advance. For safety reasons, only two wheelchairs are allowed on each floor at any one time, so please let us know if your group includes wheelchair users.

Special interest tours:

A guided Tour of the Ground Floor, First Floor or Bachelors' Wing
Enjoy a tour of part of the house of your choice as you are taken through the rooms on either the ground floor, first floor or Bachelor' Wing by a highly knowledgeable Waddesdon guide. Duration 45 minutes.

The Water Garden
Soak up the peaceful atmosphere and charming surroundings of Waddesdon's private, restored Victorian water garden. The sensitive structure of the water garden may make it necessary to restrict group numbers. Unsuitable for wheelchairs. Steep in parts. Duration 1 hour.

Seasonal Delights in the Manor Garden
Waddesdon's delightful Victorian garden is one of the finest of its kind in Britain and renowned for its seasonal displays, colourful shrubs, parterre, statuary and restored pleasure garden. Enjoy the seasonal highlights, colours and fragrances in the company of one of our expert garden guides on this informal one-hour tour.
 Duration 1 hour

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Cellars Tour
Anyone with a thirst for knowledge and fine wines will enjoy this tour, led by an expert Waddesdon guide, around the magnificent Waddesdon Manor wine cellars. Learn all about the incredible Rothschilds' wine-making heritage, and be given the opportunity to taste two of the famous wines.
 Duration 1 hour

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Cellars Tour with Wine Tasting

Built for the Rothschilds as a place to entertain their guests, magnificent Waddesdon Manor is not surprisingly home to a rather grand and capacious wine cellar. After drinking in the facts on a fascinating tour join our wine expert for an informal tasting of six Rothschild wines.
 Duration 1 hour 15 minutes.

NEW FOR 2017:

Step This Way: The Red Drawing Room Opened Up
Come into the Manor as a 19th-century house guest would have done. The Red Drawing Room is the central room of the house, connecting the main door with the formal gardens to the south. Baron Ferdinand’s guests congregated there before going into dinner in the adjoining Dining Room. For the 2017 season the 17th-century Savonnerie carpet, commissioned by Louis XIV, will be substituted with a reproduction, allowing visitors to circulate more freely in the room and to see paintings and furniture close-up. New blinds bring light and the landscape back into the room while filtering out UV radiation.

Manor Kitchen Discovery Talk
Book to arrive at 10.30am to begin with a Manor Kitchen Discovery Talk at 10.45am. Discover what life was like in Waddesdon’s historic kitchens (now the Manor’s restaurant), preparing for an 1890s weekend house party and how the fabric of these rooms are cared for today. This talk includes coffee/tea and dainty pastries. Available Wednesday to Friday. £8.00 per head minimum £120.00 per group

The Treaterie
New to Waddesdon in 2017, the Treaterie is a delightful space at the Stables, serving freshly made sweet treats and delicacies. Indulge in delicious crêpes and waffles, ice-cream, cakes, pastries, macarons, fudge and sweets. All are made in-house by our talented team and served in a modern and relaxed setting.

Feast
Saturday and Sunday, 17 and 18 June 10am-5pm
Come and enjoy food, drink and the pleasures of Waddesdon in the third year of our very successful festival weekend. Take a seat at our 150 metre long decorated table in front of the Manor, or choose from our stallholders in the Food Market. A great day out for all ages.

Christmas Fair at Waddesdon
Wednesday 15 November to Sunday 10 December (Wednesday to Sunday, closed Mondays and Tuesdays) 11am-6.30pm
Our hugely popular Christmas Fair, held in the Manor Gardens against the wonderful, floodlit backdrop of the House. The fair offers a great selection of unusual Christmas gifts and festive foods. Combine it with a visit to the House and a festive lunch for a perfect day out to start the festive season!

Charges may apply. For more information please contact the property.