Earlier Houses: There was an earlier house of the Paul family, French Huguenot clothiers who settled in Gloucestershire in the 17th century, on, or near, the site of the current house.

Built / Designed For: John Paul Paul

House & Family History: In 1789 Josiah Paul Tippetts inherited the Highgrove Estate from the Paul family (at which time he changed his surname, rather confusingly, to Paul). It was his son, John Paul Paul, who, between 1797 and 1798, built the rectangular ashlar house with giant pilasters and the fine Palladian window. The designer of Highgrove is not known for certain, but it seems likely that it was the Gloucestershire architect Anthony Keck. In 1860 the Paul family sold Highgrove to Col. E.J. Strachey, who, in turn, sold the estate in 1864 to a barrister by the name of William Hamilton Yatman. It was during Yatman's ownership that a devastating fire (in 1893) gutted all of the original interiors; Yatman, by this time an old man, decided it was easier to move than rebuild. He sold the estate to A.C. Mitchell, who hired John Hart of Bristol in 1894 to rebuild the interiors within the surviving shell in a simplified version of the original design. In 1980 the Duchy of Cornwall purchased Highgrove from Maurice Macmillan (son of former Prime Minister Harold Macmillan) for use as a country house by Charles, The Prince of Wales (the prince was also the Duke of Cornwall). Highgrove House was decorated by Dudley Poplak, the interior decorator who also worked on the Prince and Princess of Wales's apartment at Kensington Palace; the royal couple moved into Highgrove in the fall of 1981. In 1988 the plain exterior of the house was embellished with a new pediment, balustrade, and giant Ionic pilasters, all to the designs of the Prince of Wales. At the same time, a new single-story staff annex was also added.

Garden & Outbuildings: Charles, The Prince of Wales, a keen gardener, designed many of the gardens at Highgrove himself, including the wild garden, the formal garden, and the walled kitchen garden. The prince's gardens have become famous and attracted international attention, becoming the subject of numerous gardening books and magazine articles. The Highgrove Estate, which borders Westonbirt Arboretum, is home to the National Beech Collection. The 900 acres of the estate are farmed by the Duchy of Cornwall, who grow vegetables, fruit, and flowers organically (the move to organic farming at Highgrove began in 1985 and was completed in 1996). Animal husbandry is also practiced on the estate; the beef herd includes pedigree Angus bulls, Aberdeen-Angus females and yearlings, and Angus cross Friesian cows. There is also a flock of Mule and Masham sheep.

House Listed: Grade II

Park Listed: Not Listed

Current Seat / Home of: King Charles III

Past Seat / Home of: SEATED AT EARLIER HOUSE: Sir Charles Barrow, 1st Bt., 18th century. Paul family, 18th century; Josiah Paul Tippetts (Paul), 1789-97. SEATED AT CURRENT HOUSE: John Paul Paul, 1797-1828; Paul family here until 1860. Col. E.J. Strachey, 1860-64. William Hamilton Yatman, 1864-93. Arthur C. Mitchell, 19th century; Mitchell family here until circa 1946. Lt. Col. Gwyn Morgan, circa 1946-56. Maurice Macmillan, 20th century; Macmillan family here from 1956 until 1980. Charles, The Prince of Wales, 1981-2022.

Current Ownership Type: The Crown / Royal Family

Primary Current Ownership Use: Private Home

Ownership Details: Owned by the Duchy of Cornwall. The gardens are open to the public on a limited basis.

House Open to Public: Grounds Only - By Appointment

Phone: 01666-503-203

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.highgrovegardens.com/

Awards: 2023 Tatler Country House Award for Best Wake-Up Call

Historic Houses Member: No