QUEEN VICTORIA. LORD PALMERSTONE. YOU
The Grove’s history is rich and interesting. In its heyday, The Grove was the venue for notoriously lavish country house parties for royalty and society’s elite, then later a widely influential hotbed of political debate! “Weekending” in the county was practically invented by The Grove in the 18th century, under the 4th Earl of Clarendon, whose regular guests included Queen Victoria, Lord Palmerston and Edward VII.
The first records of the estate actually date as far back as 1294! Who built the original house, however, is still a mystery –though historians agree it is probably of the Elizabethan era.
The Grove has spent most of its significant life as seat of the various Earls of Clarendon. The title was first borne as early as 1661 by Edward Hyde, Chancellor of the Exchequer under Charles I. The title remained in the family until there was no remaining male heir.
In 1753, the Hon Thomas Villiers, Earl of Jersey and British Ambassador to France, acquired The Grove. In recognition of his diplomatic services, he was raised to the dignity of Earl of Clarendon in 1776, and the title was re-born. The Grove went on to became one of the most fashionable homes in the country, with invitations to weekend house parties highly sought after. In 1936, The Times described The Grove as 'One of the great political houses of the nineteenth century'.
Way back in 1294, a certain John de Britwell conveyed land at 'The Manor on the Grove', although historians think the first substantial house on the site was Elizabethan. By 1703 the property became the right of inheritance to Sir William Buck of Hanby, who rebuilt the main and west wing.
The Clarendon family left The Grove in the 1920s. Since then, The Grove has had many varied uses, including a gardening school, girl’s boarding school and a management training centre.
Ralph Trustees Limited bought The Grove in 1996 and turned it into a country house hotel. Since then we've devoted much love, care and attention to restoring it to its former glory. Today you can still sense the lingering atmosphere of those fabled house parties. With its illustrious history of entertaining, we are sure The Grove is pleased to hear the sounds of laughter and happy guests within its walls once more!
