Osterley House and Park

About Osterley House and Park

A short hop from central London by tube, a stroll up a tree-lined path past grazing cattle and you’ll feel like you’re in the countryside, not urban Hounslow. Surrounded by beautiful gardens and farmland, Osterley, once described as ‘the palace of palaces’ by Horace Walpole, is one of the last country estates in London.

Built in the 1570s and then remodelled in 1761, Osterley House holds a collection of magnificent halls crafted by the neoclassical architect, Robert Adam. Inspired heavily by ancient Greece and Rome, the house welcomes visitors with a large dining hall with French Grey and white walls. Classical dining and dressing rooms showcase Adam’s artistic flavour and vision.

Walk through a 40-metre long gallery which runs the length of the building. The gallery’s gold and green walls have been used in many films including The Young Victoria and Belle. Take a tour of the tapestry rooms that run along the house’s main hall to catch a glimpse of royal life at Osterley House. Head upstairs to see the bedchambers which boast a temple and theatrical setting. From there, walk to the Etruscan dressing room, one of the final installments of this state apartment which was influenced by Adam’s study tour of Europe from 1754 to 1758. Walk down the stairs to the kitchen, steward’s room, and servant’s hall and take a look into the forgotten lives of the maids and footmen.

For the full experience, walk around the large garden and then enjoy the lake and open spaces of Osterley Park itself, which surrounds the house.