Loseley House and Walled Garden
Loseley House is a beautiful Tudor manor house, built by Sir William More, allegedly at the request of Elizabeth I, and still occupied by his direct descendants. It takes a little under an hour to walk there from Onslow Village, up and over the Mount, down to the North Downs Way and then cut down a track that leads to the house. It’s a beautiful walk, but it does include a long climb back up on your return journey!
There is a public footpath that runs through the estate that offers good views of the house at all times of the year. However, for a few months in the summer the House and the Walled Gardens are open to visitors.
They are not cheap to visit, however if you enjoy a good stately home then this tour is not to be missed. The layout of the house has barely changed since it was built and it is filled with some fascinating furniture and art works. The guides are wonderfully knowledgeable and with so many royal visitors over the centuries there are many interesting stories to be told. Tours of the house run on Sunday – Thursday each week from the end of April until the end of July. Take a look at their website for times and prices, you don’t have to book in advance.
If Gardens are more your thing then the beautiful Walled Garden is a must. The 2.5-acre garden is laid out in rooms with the character of each room changing dramatically through the season as different plants take centre stage. You may even consider becoming a Friend of Loseley. Your membership gets you and a guest unlimited visits to the gardens from May to the end of August and includes a 10% discount in the White Garden Tea Hut. Like the house, the garden is only open Sunday-Thursday, with Fridays and Saturdays being used to host weddings and other events. Membership may be a little pricey, but if you take a visitor every time you visit and have a cup of tea while you’re there it only takes two visits and it has paid for itself.
Set amidst rolling hills and far away from any traffic the Loseley Estate is a tranquil haven that is teeming with wildlife. It’s the perfect destination for a Sunday afternoon stroll!
NB: If you are planning a visit it’s always worth checking their website before you set out. Occasionally the house and gardens get used for filming and can be closed at short notice.
Click here to visit the Loseley website
Watts Gallery and the Artists Village
If you live in Onslow Village, it’s an easy journey by foot or car to visit Watts Gallery, named after GF Watts who was one of Britain’s finest Victorian painters. He and his wife lived in Compton in later life and had the gallery built to display his paintings. Now the gallery not only contains Watts’ work, but also a collection of works by William and Evelyn De Morgan and changing exhibitions relating to Victorian art.
George Watts lived from 1817 to 1904 and painted some wonderfully ethereal pictures, some of which are housed in the gallery in Compton along with 2 of his dramatic sculptures. He moved there in 1886, when he was 69, shortly after marrying Mary, a Scottish designer and potter.
Mary started a pottery on the same site as the gallery and produced some wonderful terracotta designs in Celtic and Art Nouveau style. She co-founded the Compton Potters’ Arts Guild and the Arts & Crafts Guild.
In addition to the gallery there is a wonderful tea room, renowned for its unique Welsh Rarebit and its classic afternoon teas served in a wide variety of tea pots. Next door is the Watts Gallery shop which has a beautiful selection of items for sale that resonate with the Watts design philosophy. Above the shop is the contemporary gallery with regularly changing exhibitions of work by local and not so local artists. The contemporary gallery is free to go around and all the works are for sale.
If you visit the main Gallery, your ticket includes entrance to Limnerslease (Painter’s rest), the home Mary and GF Watts had designed and built. The house gives much more information about Mary’s work and shows GF Watts’ studio and one or two living rooms. However if you don’t want to pay to go in to the gallery don’t miss the iconic jewel that is the Watts mortuary chapel. Designed by Mary Watts and decorated with the help of local villagers, it is just a few of minutes’ walk down the road and it is well worth the visit.
It’s a lovely walk from Onslow Village to the Gallery. Follow the footpaths that descend from the Hog’s Back then walk west on Sandy Lane and you cannot miss the Watts Gallery. You will also get a bonus of seeing dozens of horses in the fields that you pass, all of whom are looked after by Mane Chance, a horse welfare charity based near the Gallery.
Click here to visit the Watts Gallery website
Guildford Cathedral
You can’t miss the Cathedral in Guildford as it sits proudly atop Stag Hill in the heart of the ancient Royal hunting grounds of Guildford Park. Walking from Onslow Village takes about 20 minutes at an average pace but the reward after the climb is a view over Guildford and the Mount which is spectacular.
The cathedral looks austere from the outside but that’s really its beauty as its simple lines and impressive interior reflect the post war era in which it was built. In fact, many long term residents of OV like myself will have bought a brick for 2s 6d back in the 50s which would probably be worth £5 these days. Notice the gilt Angel weathervane on the tower which weighs nearly a ton and is 4.6m high. It was lifted into place by helicopter (I watched it being installed in 1961).
Inside there are many modern pieces of sculpture by famous British artists and nearly 1500 kneelers all of which reflect the wool trade on which Guildford’s historic prosperity depended.
You can also go for a guided tour up the cathedral tower. The history is fascinating and the views from the top are unbeatable.
The cathedral often plays host to art exhibitions which are free to visit and a whole range of events from talks to concerts to light shows. And of course, it is has a full schedule of services, many featuring the cathedral choir, which are attended by a strong community of regular worshippers.
Click here to visit the Cathedral website
Henley Fort
On the Hogs Back directly above Onslow Village sits Henley Fort. The fort was built around 1889 as part of the Victorian defensive positions for London when facing a threat of invasion from France. Made mainly of chalk to lower the risk of ammunition exploding if attacked, the fort is the most westerly fort of the chain that stretches for 70 miles to Essex. A simple structure, the fort was never really used as a garrison, but served as an ammunition store up to WW1 and in WW2 was used as a Home Guard centre.
In the 1950s it was used as a camp for local schools. Each school could attend for two weeks each year for walks around Surrey and its now an Outdoor Learning and Adventure Centre for children who can camp in the grounds on the top of the Hogs Back and enjoy spectacular views of Surrey and Hampshire.
The fort usually opens to the public for a few days each September as part of the Heritage Open Days. During this time a local re-enactment group demonstrate the uniforms and weaponry used at the time the fort was built. There are also guided tours of the buildings explaining how they have been used at different points in the forts history.
Dates of any open days will be included on the OVRA calendar.