House & Family History: During the 17th century Fairlawne was the seat of Sir Henry Vane, Sr., secretary of state to Charles I. His son, also Henry, became governor of Massachusetts, but was executed in 1662 by Royalists for his support of the Puritan cause. Fairlawne has been suggested as the likely model for Shipley Hall, home of Lord Uffenham, one of the fictional characters created by P.G. Wodehouse, whose daughter, Leonora, lived at Fairlawne after 1932, when she married Major Peter Cazalet. Cazalet was noted for training race horses, something he did for both the queen and the queen mother, both of whom were regular visitors at Fairlawne. In 1954 Major Cazalet commissioned the artist Felix Kelly to execute murals in the Garden Passage at Fairlawne; these were completed in July 1954. Pevsner believed that there was a courtyard house at the core of the current house. Fairlawne (or Fair Lawn, as it was called then) was famously engraved by Kip in 1719.

Comments: Pevsner called Fairlawne "A plain and rather puzzling house."

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: Vol. II, 1819.

Country Life: XLIV, 50, 1918. CXXIV, 998, 1050, 1958.

House Listed: Grade I

Park Listed: Not Listed

Current Seat / Home of: Prince Khalid Abdullah

Past Seat / Home of: Sir Henry Vane, 17th century; Christopher Vane, 1st Baron Barnard, early 18th century. Major Peter Cazalet, mid-20th century.

Current Ownership Type: Individual / Family Trust

Primary Current Ownership Use: Private Home

House Open to Public: No

Historic Houses Member: No