Albury Park

Earlier Houses: An earlier house on the site was destroyed by fire in 1697 and replaced by the current house, which incorporates part of the older house's cellars.

House & Family History: In 1763 George III held his coronation ball in Albury Park's great room, today the library. In 1819 the Albury Estate was purchased by the banker Henry Drummond, who, between 1846 and 1852, commissioned A.W.N. Pugin (possibly with the assistance of his son) to remodel and redesign the house in the Victorian Tudor-Gothic style, including the addition of 63 individually-designed chimneys. In 1890, after the death of Drummond's daughter, the estate passed to the family of the dukes of Northumberland (Drummond's daughter had married into the family). Albury Park was leased to the Mutual Households Association after World War II; after they vacated it was unoccupied throughout the 1960s; in 1969 the house was sold to the forerunner of the Country Houses Association, a retirement community that financially collapsed circa 2002. In May 2004 Albury was purchased by Nigel and Jennifer Whalley, who significantly refurbished the house and redeveloped it into 12 luxury flats.
Garden & Outbuildings: John Evelyn, who created the park for the 6th Duke of Norfolk in the late 17th century, built a Nymphaeum with a half-moon pond, a Roman-style bath house, canals, cascades, and bridges. There is also a pair of parallel terraces, each retained by red brick walls and lavender hedges. The 150-acre estate remains in the ownership of the Duke of Northumberland.

Chapel & Church: St. Paul’s Church, which was used for the filming of "Four Weddings and a Funeral," is on the estate.
Architect: John Evelyn

Date of Birth: 1620
Date of Death: 1706
Nationality: English

Date: 1655-77
Designed: Grounds

View all houses

Architect: John Evelyn

Date of Birth: 1620
Date of Death: 1706
Nationality: English

Date: 1697
Designed: Rebuilt house together with his brother George

View all houses

Architect: John Soane

Date of Birth: 1753
Date of Death: 1837
Nationality: British
Notes: Routinely considered one of England's greatest architects, even in his lifetime, Soane's influence continues to be substantial. Blundeston House is one of his earliest works, while Letton Hall and Tyringham are considered among his most significant.

Date: 1800
Designed: Extended and redesigned House for Samuel Thornton, including cantilevered Stairway, Library, and Drawing Room.

View all houses

Architect: George Hakewill

Date of Birth: 1788
Date of Death: 1836
Nationality: British

Date: Early 19th century
Designed: Partly Gothicized House

View all houses

Architect: Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin

Date of Birth: 1812
Date of Death: 1852
Nationality: British
Notes: Father of Edward Welby Pugin, A.W.N. Pugin is most famous for the Gothic Court at the 1851 Great Exhibition in the Crystal Palace, his work as Barry's draftsman for the design of the new Houses of Parliament, and for his work with John Gregory Crace in the mid-1840s in decorating and furnishing the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament). Clive Wainwright, writing in the exhibition catalog to the 1985-86 show "The Treasure Houses of Britain," stated that Pugin was a genius and one of the most celebrated English furniture designers of all time. Pugin and Crace also achieved huge success with their work at the Great Exhibition of 1851 at the Crystal Palace. Pugin had a mental breakdown at the end of his life and was confined to Bethlem Royal Hospital (aka Beldam) in London. Ironically, Pugin's St. George's Roman Catholic Church is across the street from the hospital (today the Imperial War Museum).

Date: 1846-52
Designed: Remodeled House, possibly with the assistance of his son.

View all houses

Architect: Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin

Date of Birth: 1812
Date of Death: 1852
Nationality: British
Notes: Father of Edward Welby Pugin, A.W.N. Pugin is most famous for the Gothic Court at the 1851 Great Exhibition in the Crystal Palace, his work as Barry's draftsman for the design of the new Houses of Parliament, and for his work with John Gregory Crace in the mid-1840s in decorating and furnishing the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament). Clive Wainwright, writing in the exhibition catalog to the 1985-86 show "The Treasure Houses of Britain," stated that Pugin was a genius and one of the most celebrated English furniture designers of all time. Pugin and Crace also achieved huge success with their work at the Great Exhibition of 1851 at the Crystal Palace. Pugin had a mental breakdown at the end of his life and was confined to Bethlem Royal Hospital (aka Beldam) in London. Ironically, Pugin's St. George's Roman Catholic Church is across the street from the hospital (today the Imperial War Museum).

Date: 1846
Designed: Cottages orné

View all houses
John Bernard (J.B.) Burke, published under the title of A Visitation of the Seats and Arms of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland, among other titles: Vol. II, p. 85, 1853.

John Preston (J.P.) Neale, published under the title of Views of the Seats of Noblemen and Gentlemen in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, among other titles: 2.S. Vol. III, 1826.

Country Life: CVIII, 598, 674, 1950.
Title: Walford's County Families of the United Kingdom, 1914
Author: NA
Year Published: 1914
Reference: pg. 900
Publisher: London: Spottiswoode & Co.
ISBN: NA
Book Type: Hardback

Title: England's Lost Houses From the Archives of Country Life
Author: Worsley, Giles
Year Published: 2002
Reference: pg. 9
Publisher: London: Aurum Press
ISBN: 1854108204
Book Type: Hardback

Title: Country Life (magazine)
Author: NA
Year Published: NA
Reference: Jul 4, 2002, pg. 92
Publisher: Bath: Future plc
ISBN: NA
Book Type: Magazine

Title: Disintegration of a Heritage: Country Houses and their Collections, 1979-1992, The
Author: Sayer, Michael
Year Published: 1993
Publisher: Norfolk: Michael Russell (Publishing)
ISBN: 0859551970
Book Type: Hardback
House Listed: Grade II*

Park Listed: Grade I
"Four Weddings and a Funeral" (1994 - for the third wedding, of Carrie and Hamish, in Perthshire). "Britain's Next Top Model" (2005 - TV series). "Fear, Stress and Anger" (2007 - TV comedy series). "The Destiny of Britain" (2007 - TV historical drama). "Country House Rescue" (2008 - TV documentary, episode 1.4). "Midsomer Murders" (2011 - TV series, as Great Worthy School in the episode "Echoes of the Dead").
Past Seat / Home of: Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk, mid-17th century. Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Aylesford, late 17th century. Samuel Thornton, early 19th century. Henry Drummond, 19th century; Drummond family here from 1819 until 1890. Algernon George Percy, 6th Duke of Northumberland, 19th century; Percy family here from 1890 until 1969.

Current Ownership Type: Flat Owners Company / Condo Association

Primary Current Ownership Use: Flats / Multi Family
House Open to Public: No
Phone: 01483-202-964

Historic Houses Member: No

House, Family & Collections History

Gardens, Outbuildings, Chapel & Church History

Architects

Historic Publications References

Bibliography / Reading List for this House

Listings for House & Park

Location for Film & TV

Families Who’ve Lived Here / Current Ownership Type & Use

Access

VISIT AND HELP PRESERVE HISTORIC BRITISH HOUSES