Having seen photographs on line I knew I wanted to take advantage of my National Trust membership and make a visit to Waddesdon Manor in Oxfordshire. It is a bit of a hike from Weston-super-Mare to the house, but I arrived in plenty of time for my booked timed entry for the house.
There is a huge car park and I didn’t realise until I was about to leave that there is free EV charging as well. The house is about a 20-30 minute walk from the car park, however there is a shuttle bus for which there is a £2.50 charge (and National Trust members have to pay). Unlike most other National Trust properties, though Waddesdon Manor is owned by the National Trust, it is managed by the Rothschild Foundation. So the experience is slightly different. Waddesdon Manor is also one of the most popular National Trust houses and gets lots of visitors. I was there on a Sunday and though it was busy, I wouldn’t say it was excessively so, then again it was October.
Waddesdon Manor
French Renaissance-style château, built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild in 1874 to house his collection of fine art, landscaped gardens, aviary and woodland playground.
Current saving £229.90
One adult £27.00
Parking – Free
Shuttle Bus – £2.50
Total saving £24.50
Cumulative saving £345.60
Membership cost £91.20
Net cumulative saving £254.40
I took the bus up to the house and was rather impressed. This was very much a French Renaissance inspired château. It reminded me of some of the houses and château I had seen on my trips to France.
Even though I was about ten minutes early, I was able to gain entry to the house.
I really enjoyed walked around the house. This was a very decadent property where you could see money was no object. Everything from the marble walls to the gilded furniture, you could see money had been thrown at the house. Waddesdon Manor wasn’t a family home, it was a party house, a place to entertain and show off.
I really liked the staircases which were on each side of the house.
There were also some interesting exhibitions on display as well.
I was a little disappointed with the catering facilities, well the Manor Restaurant actually looked really interesting with some tasty options, but it was only later that I realised you really needed to pre-book, and it certainly wasn’t cheap. Not a place you could just drop by for a slice of cake and a pot of tea. There was a coffee car, but there was a big queue. It was also later when I discovered there was another place, the Stables Café. Okay so I was not really disappointed with the catering outlets, I was disappointed with myself for not knowing or discovering them.
I enjoyed walking outside the house and enjoying the splendour of the building and the architecture.
After my visit, I walked down to the car park rather than take the shuttle bus. This was easier (as it was downhill) and it was a nice walk down.
I do think I would like to make a return visit some point in the future.