Riverdene Gardens Hotel
is a Grade II listed Victorian house offering accommodation of a standard
exceeding that of many hotels, with all the comforts of home.
Situated in Weybridge, Surrey, Riverdene Gardens offers hotel
accommodation of the highest standard only a short distance from London.
We pride ourselves on our attention to detail and our courteous, warm and
friendly service. Please click here for details of our conference room
facility.
Offering stylish accommodation in five ensuite rooms, the 120 year-old
Riverdene Gardens has recently undergone total modernisation, offering
elegant and sophisticated comfort whilst retaining the original charm and
atmosphere of this Norman Shaw designed property.
Riverdene Gardens is only 20 miles from London, 15 miles from Heathrow
airport, 25 miles from Gatwick, and boasts many local attractions
including Hampton Court Palace, Windsor Castle, and Sandown, Ascot and
Epsom racecourses to name but a few.
We hope you enjoy looking through our website, please contact us with any
questions and for reservations information.
Accommodation Bed & Breakfast
Five stylish guest rooms furnished to the highest standards
Ensuite bathrooms/showers
In-room television
Tea & Coffee facilities
Large guest sitting room
Large guest dining room
In room fast wireless broadband connections
Scrumptious food and service
Conference Room
Warm and friendly hospitality
Walking distance to shopping areas
25 minutes from London
Heathrow airport 15 minutes, Gatwick 40 minutes
Victorian elegance at its best
A brief History of Riverdene Gardens
Imagine yourself living in the Victorian age. The year is 1881. The
location is Walton-on-Thames, an idyllic village in County Surrey,
England, with a population of about 2,500 souls, mostly employed in
agriculture and domestic services. The distinguishing feature of this area
is the Ashley Park Estate, a 430-acre fiefdom owned by the Sassoon family,
descendants of Jewish merchants who acquired the Estate in 1863. The land,
and the site of Riverdene, is part of the original hunting grounds of
Hampton Court Palace, established by Henry VIII in the ' 1530's. The
Sassoons are very supportive of the local community -hosting fetes,
sporting events (cricket, golf, etc.), and celebrations on the Estate,
open to all from the village of Walton. Regardless of the family's Jewish
background, St. Mary's Parish Church in Walton enjoys a legacy of their
kindness and frequent contributions in both time and money.
In 1881, Joseph S. Sassoon, age 23, and heir to Ashley Park Estate,
commissions the renowned Victorian architect, R. Norman Shaw to build
Riverdene, one of seven dwellings that exist on the Estate in addition to
the mansion, Ashley Park House,the home of the Sassoon family. The Estate
is subsequently sold, and the mansion is demolished (in the early 1920's),
but Riverdene remains, having been sold to a developer by Dulcie Sassoon
(daughter-in-law to Joseph) and her brother-in-law David (son of Joseph) -
an established artist at the time. In 1923 Seigfried Sassoon, nephew of
Joseph, also gains renown as a well-known poet during the years of the
Great War (World War I) and thereafter.
The historic connections of Riverdene to the Sassoon family - some of whom
were confidantes and friends of two Princes of Wales, the future kings,
Edward VII Edward VIII, and William Gladstone, a past Prime Minister - end
with the sale cited above. Thereafter, it is acquired by several others
(including, at one point, a bank). The year is now 1959. This marks the
acquisition of Riverdene by a prominent family, Otto von Radowitz and
wife, Penelope, who come with credentials extending back into the
aristocracy of Germany, far beyond the Victorian period. The Radowitz's
are a family of diplomats, originating in Hungary in the 1400's. It is at
Riverdene where they rear their family until, with children gone, it is
sold in 1973.
Now come the developers. They acquire Riverdene and adjoining Victorian
properties and petition the Elmbridge Council for permission to demolish
properties and replace them with retail outlets. Enter the Victorian
Society who site Riverdene and neighbours as "Grade II Statutorily Listed
Properties". The Historic Building & Antiquities Committee of the Council
accordingly reject the proposal and subsequent appeals.
Riverdene is eventually acquired by Emilia M. Nunn and children, who
recognise its historic importance, and dedicate themselves to its
preservation. Accordingly, interior restoration and upgrading ensue, to
the benefit of those who come this way. Welcome to your part in this
history!
Bed and Breakfast / Guesthouse / Business
Accomodation
SINGLE B&B
DOUBLE B&B
LARGE DOUBLE B&B
Riverdene Gardens
1 Oatlands Drive
Weybridge
Surrey
KT13 9NA
UK
accomodation, accommodation in weybridge, surrey,
UK, convenient for walton, (Walton-on-thames), Esher, Cobham,
Short trip to Heathrow and Gatwick airports
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