Osterley Park and House

Our overnight stop at Englefield Green was very pleasant, even considering that it was in the flight path to Heathrow Airport. The planes cut out at 11 pm and didn't commence again until about 6.30 this morning, and even then they didn't interrupt our sleep very much. 

Later we slipped away and headed for the dreaded M25 and the notorious tragic jams - but this morning it was plain sailing, even on the M4 all was quiet!

Arriving at Osterley Park and House we tried to park in the shade - not a regular requirement this summer! 

The entrance drive to Osterley House. 

A house has been on the site at Osterley since Tudor times. A working farm has also been here since Tudor times, with three working farms currently attached to the property. 

Charolais, part of the working farm. 

The house has been redesigned and virtually rebuilt over the centuries. The building we see today was design and built by the Child's family who were bankers at No 1 Fleet Street. Interesting to note the bank still operates at No 1 Fleet St although it is now owned by THE RBS. During the bombing of London in WWII the whole bank moved to Osterley House. 

Not like many of these old house  the furniture and decorative items are original, making the story of the house very authentic. 

Osterley was basically a show house for entertaining and impressing. The formal entrance oozes money!

Room decorations - nothing was spared. 

Loved this story of the Eating Room - the sideboard has two urns at either side - the urns are lined with lead to hold the ice to cool water, the pedestals under the  urns are designed to hold chambers pot because  dinners would last a long time and there was a need for these throughout the meal!

We took a walk in extensive gardens and park. But as the day was getting very warm we cut this a little short and headed back to the van for a late lunch. 

Late in the afternoon we met up with Maddie and James at Vitale, Zivile, Eis and Gerda's home for a barbecue.  A lovely evening - bed after midnight.