About Chartwell Nt
Chartwell, now owned by the National Trust, was Churchill’s home for over 40 years. Our facebook page was been set up to bring you news of the going ons at Chartwell past and present so watch this space. . . !
Chartwell Nt Description
A wise man once remarked 'Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals. '. Personally I have no interest in pigs.
I understand that late in life he was given a ginger cat with four while paws and a while bib. He named him Jock, after his personal secretary Jock Colville. I am the sixth Jock to live here. They like to keep a home here for a ginger cat with similar markings. No one knows where I was born but Katherine, who I live with, found me at a rescue centre and bought me to live at Chartwell.
I have been told that you have no interest in my hunting habits but may be interested in my 'inside information'. My days are spent on the Programming Officer's desk or in the head gardeners flower beds and I live with the house and collections manager. I hear everything.
I'm around to answer your queries 9am-5pm, Tuesday - Friday.
Croydon Animal Samaritans continue to play an important role in my care. Find out more about their charity work at www. croydonanimalsamaritans. co. uk
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Reviews
'When I get to heaven I intend to spend a considerable portion of my first million years in painting, and so get to the bottom of the subject' - Sir Winston Churchill
Churchill is famous for his resounding speeches, but did you know he was also an expert in ‘swan talk’? Well, so he claimed. Read more about Churchill’s black swans at Chartwell at http://bit.ly/2unkWXQ Photo: NT / Nick Dougan
Picnic in style this summer – our shop has a wide range of open-air goods, from picnic rugs to hampers, for all your al fresco dining needs. Every rug, cool bag and melamine plate you buy helps us look our special place
'One always measures friendships by how they show up in bad weather' - Sir Winston Churchill, on this day 1948
Over in the cut flower bed there’s new colour erupting every day. Feel inspired by the great outdoors? Why not share your passion with others by becoming a volunteer garden tour guide. Find out more at http://bit.ly/2zh5ZeP
Over in the woods there’s some tree-mendous work going on. Our team's been busy constructing a two-storey treehouse to rival all others, and they’re nearly finished – keep checking back with us for updates...
Tune into BBC South East this evening to catch Project Curator Katherine Carter discussing Winter Sunshine, a stunning snowy scene of Chartwell painted by Churchill currently on loan to the Royal Academy
Take the kids on a global adventure this summer with our Around the World family trail. Grab your trail map and explore the gardens, searching for 16 butterflies from countries that Winston once visited. Trail is on 30 Jun - 02 Sep, 10am-4pm and costs £1, normal admission applies.
Even in the heatwave Jock VI manages to stay a cool cat
Photo: NT / Katherine Carter
Great to host BBC Radio 4 this week with Sir David Cannadine. You’ll have to wait until August to tune in to Prime Minister’s Props, when you’ll hear all about Churchill’s love of cigars and this stunning cigar cabinet in the studio, used to house his paint collection
52 years ago today we opened our doors to the public for the first time, and with your visits and support they’ll stay open for many more years to come
The Churchill rose looking at home in Lady Clementine's Rose Garden
‘Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest hour”’ –Sir Winston Churchill, 18 June 1940 Photo: NT / Chris Jonas
Sunday 17 June, 1.30pm. We have sold out of house timed tickets for the day. Our garden is open to be enjoyed on this Father's Day. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Fill your day with bountiful blooms; share Churchill’s love of roses at Chartwell before pausing in the elegant rose garden at Emmetts Garden, just a 15 minute drive away. Plan your rosy day out at http://bit.ly/2ID5Er9 Photos: NT / Emma Vidler / Rachael Warren
Want to raise your dinner party to the next level? Take a page out of the dissertation Churchill wrote to his wife on dining room chairs and buy seats that are compact with arms so your guests are both comfortable and sociable
Photo: NT / Chris Jonas
Pond maintenance isn't the most glamorous job, but it's worth it to keep Churchill's golden orfe ponds in tip top shape (and it's never wiped the smile off Garden & Countryside Manager Tim's face either)
Every day a new rosebud is unfurling, releasing wonderful scents in the Golden Rose Avenue and Lady Clementine’s Rose Garden. In mid-June they’ll reach their peak; find a sneak preview of the roses that await you at http://bit.ly/2ID5Er9 Photos: NT / Nick Dougan / Emma Vidler
fantastic location, fantastic volunteers, very informative, will happily visit again
We had such a wonderful day here today. Perfect day! The gardens are beautiful and it was fun exploring the woodland. The house is full of interesting stories.
We ended up staying all day here as there is a lot to explore and the whole place is magical.
We had an excellent time a Chartwell with our two nieces. We had the freedom to walk and enjoy the sunshine while the children played their own excited games..building a tepee..swinging in the hammocks and even sitting alongside Winston and Clementine!
We had a lovely family day out at Chartwell yesterday. A picnic in the grounds followed by a leisurely walk around the beautifully kept estate and then a tour of the house and finally a cup of coffee in the cafe.
A perfect way to spend a lovely spring day. Suitable for couples and families of all ages.
Walking in the footsteps of our Nations great man was wonderful, the grounds just stunning. Winston and his family were so lucky a truly peaceful place.. There were plenty of guides to answer any questions, my favourite room was the dining room. also the kitchen. the café was very welcoming after walking around the grounds, lots of toilets all in all a great time had by all.
This was my second visit to this property and it didn't disappoint. Winston Churchill is such an iconic person in British (and world) history that it is wonderful to see the home that he and his wife, Clementine, shared and to hear about their life together as well as Churchill's part in politics and WW2. Chartwell itself is beautiful: both the house and the surrounding garden. It's been decorated as it would have been in its heyday in the 1920-30's. There are lots of original paintings by Churchill on display. It was raining lightly when we visited but you could see how Churchill fell for this Weald of Kent to live as the scenery is just so lovely..
To get the most out of your visit you need to speak to the guides in each room and ask questions; don't just rely on the printed guide sheet. I spoke to the guides in every room and they were all approachable, very knowledgeable and made the visit more enjoyable and memorable.
The perfect day out despite the rain. Good value for money and we learnt loads. I even made a film about the trip.
The house and Gardens were stunning. We sat by the lake and had tea it was very tranquil. Gradient is quite steep in places so a careful footing is required. Only disappointment was not being able to take photos inside the house, was not even allowed to take picture of the view from Lady Churchill's bedroom. Guides in the rooms very knowledgeable.
Really enjoyed visiting the house
We visited in June the weather was gorgeous so a walk around the gardens and lake was a pleasure
The house has lots of history and information
You go round in groups so you can go at your own pace and time
Mother's Day feedback. I would like to complement the staff at Chartwell for a fabulous afternoon. My son had booked the garden tour and cream tea for me for Mothers Day. We made our way to the Mulberry room, which was laid out ready for our cream teas including linen tablecloths and serviettes, daffodils on every table, we booked in and went to our reserved table while others arrived, we were in group B. We joined our guide Yvonne who took us around the garden, she explained the plants and history of the Churchills and the way the garden had developed, she was extremely interesting and enthusiastic, probably the best guided tour I have been on, our thanks go to her. We returned for our cream tea, two enormous scones had been added, together with cream. The tea came along with prosecco. The scones were delicious, my son a chef also thoroughly enjoyed them they were fresh, light and fruity, really yummy with jam and cream, the staff serving were pleasant and attentive. A really fabulous day out, a Mother's Day to remember. We also visited the house which we both like. We had good journeys both way from Worthing a total of 104 miles but well worth the long drive.
Magnificent house and garden!
Love to see our kinds though we are both far apart in the different sides of this big wide world we shared together. Love the orange color of jock and the deep black of frankie and those big birds walking and the ducks flying and all the other animals big & small out there and not to forget these kind, beautiful people around us candidly & patiently caring for us. These all make our world beautiful to live in. HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016.
If only these walls could talk! Such a privilege to have spent the day in the home of Winston and Clementine Churchill. A beautiful home, and lovely grounds. A big thanks to the NT volunteer guides for spending the time answering my questions. My favourite room was the library with its original Tudor oak beams and portico.
Fantastic , 1st time I been here living Kent all my life brilliant
Place the gardens , the fragrance of the flowers in may was lovely.
The house was great to see a yesteryear hero and how he lived and painted.
The tea rooms were very nice and the staff very friendly .
One draw back was the minority of the room guides .
Didn't make any effort and came a cross little bit snobby.
The young man on the membership desk was brilliant and made me join the national trust worth his weight in gold.
Can’t say enough good things about this beautiful National Trust property. I went because I am a great admirer of Sir Winston and Baroness Churchill, but even if you have no such interest, the scenery is gorgeous.
Amazing place defiantly worth going to.
Hello, we're visiting from Melbourne, Australia and we had a fascinating trip to Chartwell today. The house is incredibly interesting, and I completely understand why photography is not permitted. However, as we finished our visit, I thought I would buy a guide to remember our trip by. Imagine my disappointment when I was told the guides were sold out for the day - before 1pm! We've come a long way to visit, and it's not as if we can come back... is there anywhere else I could purchase the guide from? We will be in London next.
Very little access for mobility scooters. Not their fault as the land is on a steep gradient- but they don't tell you that on the website. Had to hire a manual wheelchair for the House as they didn't allow electric machines. We hired from main shop which is at the bottom of a steep hill. I almost lost control of the chair getting to the mini bus parked at the top. Husband had to walk as I couldn't push him. VERY bad planning. Really would not recommend for electric scooters as paths are on a gradient and he actually tipped over once.
I couldn't find anything special in this place. Very disappointed and we had to pay for that😡(£6,75pp) Not worth. Crystal Palace park is much much better and for free!
fantastic location, fantastic volunteers, very informative, will happily visit again
We had such a wonderful day here today. Perfect day! The gardens are beautiful and it was fun exploring the woodland. The house is full of interesting stories.
We ended up staying all day here as there is a lot to explore and the whole place is magical.
We had an excellent time a Chartwell with our two nieces. We had the freedom to walk and enjoy the sunshine while the children played their own excited games..building a tepee..swinging in the hammocks and even sitting alongside Winston and Clementine!
We had a lovely family day out at Chartwell yesterday. A picnic in the grounds followed by a leisurely walk around the beautifully kept estate and then a tour of the house and finally a cup of coffee in the cafe.
A perfect way to spend a lovely spring day. Suitable for couples and families of all ages.
Walking in the footsteps of our Nations great man was wonderful, the grounds just stunning. Winston and his family were so lucky a truly peaceful place.. There were plenty of guides to answer any questions, my favourite room was the dining room. also the kitchen. the café was very welcoming after walking around the grounds, lots of toilets all in all a great time had by all.
This was my second visit to this property and it didn't disappoint. Winston Churchill is such an iconic person in British (and world) history that it is wonderful to see the home that he and his wife, Clementine, shared and to hear about their life together as well as Churchill's part in politics and WW2. Chartwell itself is beautiful: both the house and the surrounding garden. It's been decorated as it would have been in its heyday in the 1920-30's. There are lots of original paintings by Churchill on display. It was raining lightly when we visited but you could see how Churchill fell for this Weald of Kent to live as the scenery is just so lovely..
To get the most out of your visit you need to speak to the guides in each room and ask questions; don't just rely on the printed guide sheet. I spoke to the guides in every room and they were all approachable, very knowledgeable and made the visit more enjoyable and memorable.
The perfect day out despite the rain. Good value for money and we learnt loads. I even made a film about the trip.
The house and Gardens were stunning. We sat by the lake and had tea it was very tranquil. Gradient is quite steep in places so a careful footing is required. Only disappointment was not being able to take photos inside the house, was not even allowed to take picture of the view from Lady Churchill's bedroom. Guides in the rooms very knowledgeable.
Really enjoyed visiting the house
We visited in June the weather was gorgeous so a walk around the gardens and lake was a pleasure
The house has lots of history and information
You go round in groups so you can go at your own pace and time
Mother's Day feedback. I would like to complement the staff at Chartwell for a fabulous afternoon. My son had booked the garden tour and cream tea for me for Mothers Day. We made our way to the Mulberry room, which was laid out ready for our cream teas including linen tablecloths and serviettes, daffodils on every table, we booked in and went to our reserved table while others arrived, we were in group B. We joined our guide Yvonne who took us around the garden, she explained the plants and history of the Churchills and the way the garden had developed, she was extremely interesting and enthusiastic, probably the best guided tour I have been on, our thanks go to her. We returned for our cream tea, two enormous scones had been added, together with cream. The tea came along with prosecco. The scones were delicious, my son a chef also thoroughly enjoyed them they were fresh, light and fruity, really yummy with jam and cream, the staff serving were pleasant and attentive. A really fabulous day out, a Mother's Day to remember. We also visited the house which we both like. We had good journeys both way from Worthing a total of 104 miles but well worth the long drive.
Magnificent house and garden!
Love to see our kinds though we are both far apart in the different sides of this big wide world we shared together. Love the orange color of jock and the deep black of frankie and those big birds walking and the ducks flying and all the other animals big & small out there and not to forget these kind, beautiful people around us candidly & patiently caring for us. These all make our world beautiful to live in. HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016.
If only these walls could talk! Such a privilege to have spent the day in the home of Winston and Clementine Churchill. A beautiful home, and lovely grounds. A big thanks to the NT volunteer guides for spending the time answering my questions. My favourite room was the library with its original Tudor oak beams and portico.
Fantastic , 1st time I been here living Kent all my life brilliant
Place the gardens , the fragrance of the flowers in may was lovely.
The house was great to see a yesteryear hero and how he lived and painted.
The tea rooms were very nice and the staff very friendly .
One draw back was the minority of the room guides .
Didn't make any effort and came a cross little bit snobby.
The young man on the membership desk was brilliant and made me join the national trust worth his weight in gold.
Can’t say enough good things about this beautiful National Trust property. I went because I am a great admirer of Sir Winston and Baroness Churchill, but even if you have no such interest, the scenery is gorgeous.
Amazing place defiantly worth going to.
Hello, we're visiting from Melbourne, Australia and we had a fascinating trip to Chartwell today. The house is incredibly interesting, and I completely understand why photography is not permitted. However, as we finished our visit, I thought I would buy a guide to remember our trip by. Imagine my disappointment when I was told the guides were sold out for the day - before 1pm! We've come a long way to visit, and it's not as if we can come back... is there anywhere else I could purchase the guide from? We will be in London next.
Very little access for mobility scooters. Not their fault as the land is on a steep gradient- but they don't tell you that on the website. Had to hire a manual wheelchair for the House as they didn't allow electric machines. We hired from main shop which is at the bottom of a steep hill. I almost lost control of the chair getting to the mini bus parked at the top. Husband had to walk as I couldn't push him. VERY bad planning. Really would not recommend for electric scooters as paths are on a gradient and he actually tipped over once.
I couldn't find anything special in this place. Very disappointed and we had to pay for that😡(£6,75pp) Not worth. Crystal Palace park is much much better and for free!