Built / Designed For: Sir Richard Hall Say

House & Family History: The Victorian Gothick-style house (originally constructed in the style of a French Chateau) was built in 1859 for Sir Richard Hall Say, who married Ellen Evans of Boveney Court, Buckinghamshire, in 1857. In 1874 Oakley Court was sold to Lord Otto Fitzgerald, then to John Lewis Phipps. In 1900 it was purchased by Sir William Avery of Avery Scales. In 1919 Ernest Olivier purchased the House with 50 acres for £27,000 (approximately £4 million in 2016 inflation-adjusted values using the labour value commodity index). Apparently, during World War II, it was used as the English headquarters of the French Resistance, and visited by De Gaulle. In 1955 Bray Studios relocated nearby (at Down Place) and used Oakley Court for movie location filming. Mr. Olivier died in 1965 and the House remained uninhabited until 1979, during which time some 200 films were shot on the property by Southern Pictures and Hammer House Productions. In 1979-81 the House was restored, altered and extended for £5 million by Nellist, Blundell and Flint, with the Riverside and Garden wings being added. On November 7, 1981, Oakley Court reopened as a hotel. In 1997 the courtyard wing was built, including a pool and spa. In 1999 the boathouse meeting room was built. In December 2006, Queens Moat Houses sold the hotel to Dublin-based Heuston Hospitality, who now operate it under a management contract, with plans for a £10 million upgrade.

Garden & Outbuildings: The House is set in 35 acres of landscaped gardens on the banks of the River Thames.

House Listed: Grade II*

Park Listed: Not Listed

"Man in Black" (1949). "The Lady Craved Excitement" (1950). "The Belles of St. Trinian's" (1954). "Blue Murder at St. Trinian's" (1957). "The Curse of Frankenstein" (1957). "The Brides of Dracula" (1960). "The Pure Hell of St. Trinian's" (1960). "The Old Dark House" (1963). "The Evil of Frankenstein" (1964). "Nightmare" (1964 – [aka "Here's the Knife, Dear: Now Use It"], as the exterior grounds). "Die, Monster, Die!" (1965 – [aka "Monster of Terror," "The House at the End of the World"]). "The Reptile" (1966 - as Dr Franklyn's house). "The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery" (1966). "The Plague of the Zombies" (1966 - as the Squire's house). "Half a Sixpence" (1967). "Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly" (1969). "Theater of Blood" (1973 - where Vincent Price decapitated Arthur Lowe). "The House in Nightmare Park" (1973 – [aka "Crazy House," Night of the Laughing Dead"]). "Vampyres" (1974 – [aka "Blood Hunger," "Daughters of Dracula," "Satan's Daughters," "Vampyres: Daughters of Darkness"]). "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (1975 - as the castle exterior, criminologist's study, Brad's room, Janet's room, the dining room, Columbia's room, entrance hall and stairs). "Murder by Death" (1976 - as exterior of Truman Capote's Home). "The Wildcats of St. Trinian's" (1980). "Mr. Thunderbird: The Gerry Anderson Story" (2000).

Past Seat / Home of: Richard Hall Say, 19th century. Lord Otho Augustus FitzGerald, 19th century. John Lewis Phipps, 19th century. Sir William Avery, 20th century. Ernest Olivier, 20th century.

Current Ownership Type: Corporation

Primary Current Ownership Use: Hotel

Ownership Details: The Oakley Court, Windsor

House Open to Public: By Appointment

Phone: 01753*609-988

Fax: 01628-637-011

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.oakleycourt.com

Historic Houses Member: No