Hi, and welcome to our visit to Winston Churchills Chartwell in Kent
and I hope you like what we put together. Why not subscribe so you don't miss any of our future travels?
As I mentioned Chartwell is in the county of Kent, in the northwest corner, near the town of Westerham
A few miles south of the M25 motorway
and in this video we'll be taking a look at the house, the gardens, Winston Churchill's studio
the walled garden and the lake. Plus there'll be a few extras too
So for now let's start the walk from the car park and ticket office, through the gardens
And one of the first things you'll notice is this, the swimming pool
It reminds you that Chartwell is from a different time
the swimming pool is fed by this trickling stream
which leads from a small pond and then there's the Great Orfe Pond
a favourite Sir Winston Churchill's that he captured his artworks
and we'll be visiting his studios a little later
for now we're going to continue wandering through his gardens
until we reach the house, passing another pond
and much of what we see in this video was constructed at the request of Winston Churchill
he bought it in 1922, had it rebuilt, and moved in in 1924
and now let's step inside
and the first room we come across is Lady Churchill's sitting room
and the first thing that strikes you is this is very much a family home; albeit rather grand
from here we step back into the hallway with its visitors book
wonder whose names are in that
Can you see Jock at the bottom window?
we'll see him a little later
We now step into the drawing-room where Lady Churchill and Sir Winston would have entertained
and I'll pop a link in the description to the National Trust website where you can find opening times and prices
one of the things I love about National Trust is that they keep the properties of a period
so you feel like you're seeing it as Lady Churchill and Sir Winston would have left it
Our next stop is onwards towards the library
and one thing I do need to say is that the room guides at Chartwells, and in fact all National Trust properties,
can offer a fascinating insight into the history of each of these rooms, so feel free to ask them any questions you may have
once again the room is laid out as you would expect Winston Churchill to have found it
and on the far wall of the library is a map of the D-Day landing beaches
I'll pop a link to our video on that at the very end of this
and as you climb the stairs you get a selection of photographs of friends and dignities who helped Sir Winston
and at the top of the stairs, you'll find a statue with him adopting a familiar pose
and we now reach Lady Churchill's bedroom
and I have to say, it's all very stylish
and i especially love these bedside tables
we now make our way to a small ante room, which contains an interesting series of artefacts
and this leads us on to the museum room
and Sir Winston Churchill always planned for there to be a small museum at Chartwell
and a year after his death, in 1966,
with the property now being in the hands of the National Trust
three bedrooms were converted to create the Museum Room and the Uniform Room
this section of the house is fascinating, giving you further insights into Sir Winston Churchill
I didn't know for example he'd won a Nobel prize for literature
but that shouldn't have come as a surprise there's so many more sides of Winston than just a great wartime leader
and the next room is the uniform room, along with a selection of his hats
and now we reach Sir Winston's study
and that door to the right leads to Sir Winston Churchill's bedroom
that's only available on certain tours. Check out the National Trust website for more information
and during the renovation and rebuild, in the 1920s, these 16th-century timbers were uncovered
it was in this room that Sir Winston Churchill wrote some of those rousing wartime speeches
once you travel through Chartwell, you do get glimpses of the countryside that made it so attractive to Churchill
and now we journey down from the first floor to the lower ground floor
The lower ground floor is home to the dining room and kitchen
and the dining room may be smaller than you would expect
but Sir Winston never entertained on a grand scale here
however some of the most famous names of the 20th century probably ate here
and the kitchen may not be as grand as the one in Downton Abbey
but you can imagine some fairly impressive feasts we're conjured up here
from the kitchen we lead into another exhibition room
The History of Winston Churchill in 50 objects
<< Voice of Winston Churchill >> 'Never in the field of human conflict, was so much owed, by so many, to so few'
<< Voice of Winston Churchill >> 'I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat'
but of course, as we've already said, there's so much more to Winston Churchill
and this exhibition offers an insight into much more about the man
and it's from here we step outside to discover more of Chartwell
including those views over the High Weald of Kent that Sir Winston Churchill fell in love with back in 1922
and our visit, was late September
and unfortunately, Lady Churchill's Rose Garden was past the peak of its summer bloom
but that didn't stop us from wandering off and exploring the gardens
and once again hats off to the National Trust
the roses may be past their best, but the rest of the garden was beautifully maintained
I think we will have to come back when the roses are in full bloom though
In the corner of the formal gardens you'll find the Marlborough Pavilion
and as you probably know, Winston Churchill was a direct descendant of the first Duke of Marlborough
and it's from here you get stunning views over the High Weald of Kent, and also back to the house itself
now as we explore the grounds, I'll give you an update on a video I have planned
It'll be a small circular road trip for about 23 miles
taking in Westerham, the National Trust village of Chiddingstone
Hever Castle, Edenbridge, and of course Chartwell
so why not subscribe so you don't miss that?
and now we wander past the front of the house
this is the only bit to have featured in 'The Darkest Hour'
and through the yew, we spot another part of Chartwell
The croquet lawn
I believe this was a feature that Lady Churchill insisted on
anyone for croquet?
and now Janis manages to find a cemetery
okay it's the pet cemetery but somehow she always does it
and now I put in a rare appearance
I think that's me checking the notes to see if there's any mention of a pet cemetery
and that down the hill is the studio which we'll reach very shortly
but we're in search of one of Chartwell's residents
and it looks like we've found him - Jock VII
the marmalade cat, with the white bib, and four white socks
a request of the Churchill family on leaving Chartwell to the National Trust in 1966
There should always be a cat fitting that description
and I think this time his pray has got away
a stroll down the hill leads you to Winston Churchill's studio
and it's in here you'll find the largest collection of paintings by Sir Winston Churchill
he picked up the hobby in later life, around about the age of 41
as a way to relax and unwind
and I'm looking for a picture from Villefranche-sur-Mer, on the French Riviera, which I know he enjoyed
but as you can see there's a collection from his travels and also from Chartwell itself
I particularly love the way the studio has been laid out
as you would have expected to be in Winston's time
the attention to detail is brilliant; right down to the cigar and the glass of whiskey
as we step out of here, we head now to the walled garden
and cut flowers that you find in the house are grown here
along with fruit and vegetables that you can buy at the shop
even this late in the season it is beautiful
in the centre of the garden you'll find the Golden Rose Avenue
and at the top of the hill the Garden Cottage
and at this time of the year there appears to be a glut of gourds and pumpkins
andJanis appears to be fascinated by them
There's also some beautiful Swiss Chard as well
but of course there's more pumpkins
within the walled garden you'll find Marycot
a small toy home built for Sir Winston Churchill's daughters Sarah and Mary
and what a wonderful little playhouse it is too
from the walled garden, we're now going to head past the studio and on towards the lake
again it's a place of peace and relaxation
it's along here you'll find a wonderful sculpture of Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine
created by the Croatian sculptor Oscar Nemon
and if you look at it from different angles I think it gives you different perspectives on their relationship
and as we stroll along the southern shores of the lake you get wonderful views back of the house
and time to meet some more residents of Chartwell
the black swans
and you are warned they can be vicious
and we now reach the swimming pool, remember, from the beginning
I believe the black swans have made this their own and who's going to stop them?
We're now making our way back to the car park
via the gift shop and cafe
and I think it's now time to wrap this up, and say thanks so much for watching, I really hope you like what we put together
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