A Cherished Country House
Sandringham House – with its Jacobean-style exterior – sits at the heart of the Sandringham Estate. Built as a country retreat, it dates back to 1870 and has been open to the public since 1977.
Eight ground-floor rooms, largely unchanged from Edwardian times, open from the end of March until early October and allow visitors to admire stunning objects d’art collected by and gifted to members of The Royal Family over the years. These include collections of Meissen porcelain, semi-precious stones, Minton china and trompe-l’oeil ceiling work. The ‘jigsaw table’, cinema projection point and a treasured afternoon tea spot are also firm favourites with visitors.
Multimedia guides are available to hire during a visit or there are also knowledgeable guides who can answer questions in rooms of the House.
This year the Exhibition “VIN + OMI ROYAL GARDEN WASTE TO FASHION”S FUTURE” is featured in the Ballroom included with a House and Garden ticket.
Find out more about the exhibition here.
As well as being steeped in history, the House today is an integral element of the modern, working Estate. This has a firm focus on stewardship, preserving the land and buildings for future generations.
‘The most comfortable house in England’
Located in the Norfolk Coastal Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Sandringham House has been the private home of five generations of British Monarchs.
Once described as ‘the most comfortable house in England’, the House has remained a place where members of The Royal Family enjoy relaxing and country pursuits, and is traditionally where they spend Christmas.
Sandringham was the setting for Queen Elizabeth II’s first televised Christmas broadcast and one of the first houses in the country to have showers. Each Monarch in turn has helped it evolve and develop over the decades. The main part of the House was completed in 1870, then a Ballroom was added by 1883 and new guest and staff accommodation in the 1890s. In 1975, over 100 rooms in the service wing were demolished to remove dry rot, save on heating costs and move the kitchens closer to the Dining Room.
These alterations, along with other changes, combine to create the House on display today, which so many visitors from near and far come to experience and enjoy each year.
