Did you know that Wrotham Park, a neo-Palladian English country house, has graced the silver screen over 60 times? It is located near Potters Bar in Hertfordshire. This magnificent estate spans 2,500 acres. It stands just 17 miles from Hyde Park Corner in central London.
Designed by Isaac Ware in 1754, Wrotham Park was commissioned by Admiral John Byng. He was the fourth son of Admiral George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington. Remarkably, the house remains in the Byng family. Wrotham Park is one of the largest private houses near London, inside the M25 motorway.
Originally, the estate was part of Pinchbank. This property was first recorded in Middlesex in 1310. It later belonged to Thomas Reynolds, who renamed it Strangeways. Admiral John Byng acquired it and had the house rebuilt.
Byng renamed it Wrotham Park. This was in honor of his family’s original home in Wrotham, Kent. Sadly, Admiral Byng never resided here. Following an expedition to relieve Menorca from the French, he faced a court martial. Though acquitted of cowardice, he was convicted of negligence and executed in 1757. Voltaire satirized this event in his novel Candide.
In 1847, John Byng, 1st Earl of Strafford, inherited Wrotham Park. It then passed to his son, George Byng, 2nd Earl of Strafford, in 1860. A devastating fire in 1883 gutted the house. Fortunately, the contents were saved. The house was rebuilt exactly as before. It still remains in the hands of the Byng family.
Wrotham Park’s exterior is instantly recognizable. It has served as a backdrop for numerous films and TV shows. These include “Bridget Jones’s Diary”, “Gosford Park”, “The Crown”, and “Bridgerton”.
Beyond its film credits, Wrotham Park has hosted significant social events. Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece, held his pre-wedding reception here in 1995. The wedding blessing of Chelsea footballer Ashley Cole and Girls Aloud singer Cheryl also took place here in 2006.
Today, Wrotham Park is owned by Robert Byng, the current custodian of this historic estate. As you stand here, imagine Admiral Byng gazing upon his completed vision. The oaks are mature now. A lake graces the park. The distant rumble of a train might puzzle him. Yet he would be delighted that Wrotham remains his family’s home.