“Knole was built to impress” and has done so ever since. So said Thomas Sackville in 1605 (it wasn’t until much later that they changed their name to Sackville-West).
Knole House dates from the middle of the 15th century and is now one of Britain’s most important and complete historic homes with a colourful past as an archbishop’s palace, the former hunting ground of Henry VIII, the home of the Sackville family for 400 years and a source of literary inspiration for Virginia Woolf.
The house has sumptuous showrooms containing fine Royal Stuart furniture, tapestries and above all, the well known Rembrandt collection and a very impressive silver collection. Stairs lead from the Great Hall to the first floor apartments with long galleries hung with fine paintings and lined with elegant Royal furniture.
We will be able to view the orangery and gardens (highly recommended), which will be open to the public the day we will be there, by kind permission from Lord Sackville-West.
We do hope you can join us on what should prove to be a wonderful, inspiring and interesting visit.
Further details, including Itinerary and Booking Form, will be published in our January Newsletter and circulated to members by email.