Osterley Park and House
London has a splendorous mixture of historical and modern London attractions. Visit the awesome country house in London the Osterley Park. Sir Thomas Gresham, commercial agent and financial adviser to Elizabeth I, bought the manor of Osterley in 1562 and by 1576 replaced the existing farmhouse with 'a faire and stateley brick house'. It is one of the well known London tourist destinations.
For a man of the city, Osterley not only represented somewhere green and tranquil, but also a source of income. Described as 'a most fertyle place for wheate' the estate had ample water. Gresham established one of the first paper mills in England here.
Nicholas Barbon acquired Osterley in 1683. An opportunist, he used Osterley as security to raise a large sum of money. He died in debt and in 1713 Osterley went to Sir Francis Child in payment of his loan.
Apprenticed to a London goldsmith at the age of fourteen, by a judicious marriage Sir Francis found himself the partner and then sole owner of the firm. By 1698 he was Lord Mayor of London and had expanded his business into banking with the creation of Child's Bank. London open top bus tours enable you to jump on and off the buses and visit attractions in London at your leisure. An ideal way to see the capital city!
THE HOUSE:
The impressive sight that greets visitors today is an original redbrick Tudor house, transformed and remodelled by Robert Adam between 1760-1780 for a wealthy banking family, the Childs. Sir Thomas Gresham, commercial agent and advisor to Queen Elizabeth I, built the house in 1576. It was built square, with four towers within the central courtyard and, like today, was on three floors. Of the buildings that once surrounded it in 746 acres, including one of the earliest paper mills in Britain, only the Stable Block survives.
The house was acquired by Sir Francis Child in 1713. A self-made man who rose from apprentice to owner of a firm of goldsmiths and who married the boss's daughter, it was the perfect symbol and outlet for his new status and prosperity. Over two generations, the family grew more and more wealthy and from 1761, when Osterley Park became their main home, Sir Francis and then his brother Robert set about turning the house into 'the palace of palaces'. The best way to see the sights and sounds of London are through the London guided tour or the coach tours London.
THE GARDEN:
Osterley Park House owes much to the splendour of its setting, sited as it is at the heart of 357 acres of parkland and gardens. Early descriptions of Osterley show that the woods and ponds were the most important elements of the estate. Indeed, there was no garden, just pasture. Beginning in the 1760s, the process of landscaping Osterley Park saw the ponds and streams integrated to form three long lakes in the serpentine fashion. Lawns, pasture and shrubs were introduced. The designer at Osterley is unknown. In the late 18th century, the park's main attraction was its menagerie by the North Lake. This contained a host of rare and unusual birds, supplemented by a number of colourful pleasure boats. Substantial tree-planting over the centuries, including the introduction of cedars, has brought additional colour and shade to an estate once regarded as rather too flat. A collection of oak trees includes an impressive cork oak, a Japanese Daimyo oak, Hungarian oaks and North American red oaks. London bus tours are the perfect way to sit back, relax and enjoy the sights of London.
With a spectacular mansion surrounded by gardens, park and farmland, Osterley is one of the last surviving country estates in London. Once described as 'the palace of palaces', Osterley was created in the late 18th century by architect and designer Robert Adam for the Child family to entertain and impress their friends and clients. Today you can explore the dazzling interior with handheld audio-visual guides, which bring the house to life in a completely new way. Outside the gardens are a delightful retreat from urban life and the park is perfect for picnics and leisurely strolls. It will be a guaranteed fun for family and friends and an enjoyable tour, especially for children.
Don't miss
Atmospheric film in the Tudor stables brings Osterley to life.
Extravagant show rooms created by the great designer Robert Adam.
Explore servants' lives in the fascinating 'below stairs' area.
Join a London bus tour and discover the array of attractions in London.