Hotels near Ham House & Gardens

Perched on the edge of the River Thames and first built in 1610, this ornate but almost melancholic Stuart mansion combines extensive formal gardens with a lavish interior that belies the house's historical significance. In 1626 Ham House became the property of William Murray, a lifelong supporter of Charles I, and thus emerged as a hotbed of Civil War politics and Restoration court intrigue. Boasting important collections of textiles, furniture and paintings, a celebrated Cherry Garden and a formal listed avenue of over 250 trees, the house and grounds have hardly changed since conception. An extension was carried out in 1672, making Ham House one of the first houses with a 'modern' promenade of so-called state rooms on the first floor. As the historian and journalist Simon Jenkins says, "no London house so embodies the transience of greatness. No suburban estate presses close." The delightful gardens are said to contain the oldest Christ's Thorn bush in the country as well as numerous mighty oaks. The mansion's occupants have also changed little over the years - Ham House is reputedly one of the most haunted houses in Britain.